Carmakers like Tesla brought semi-autonomous electric vehicles to the mainstream, and now a local company wants to do the same for recreational boating.

Grapevine-based Alloy wants to build an electric boat that’s capable of avoiding other boats, docking and even driving itself from place to place under ideal conditions. The company has developed a software prototype and hopes to bring a product to the market in 2024.

“The center for us is smarter, safer boats,” said CEO Brandon Cotter, an entrepreneur who worked on 11 other startups before co-founding Alloy.

Cotter grew up boating, and the idea for Alloy came to him as he and his significant other sat in the back of a boat. They’d been reading about the move toward electric and autonomous cars, and Cotter realized it was only a matter of time before someone capitalized on the same trend in the marine industry.

He founded the company with software engineer Powell Kinney and former MasterCraft Boats CEO John Dorton. The founders assembled a 10-person team that spans the world, from Dallas to Lille, France.

Alloy is currently wrapping up a $2.5 million fundraising round from Texas-based angel investors. The company says it aims to raise $10 million this year.

Like Tesla, Alloy places software at the center of its design process, aiming to reimagine the experience of driving a boat. The company started off by building a software prototype, which a demo video shows driving a boat while navigating around another craft.

“That boat is drivable from an iPad,” Cotter said.

The final product’s level of autonomy will vary based on water conditions. On a clear day with few other boats on the water, the boat will be able to drive itself from place to place. On a windy day with more obstacles, the software may be limited to keeping the driver aware of what’s happening around the boat.

The software is running on a Nautique craft right now, but Cotter hopes Alloy can build its own prototype boat by the end of the year. The startup is partnering with another company to build the electric engine and battery packs.

The biggest challenge for electric boats is energy storage, said John-Michael Donahue, vice president for North American public affairs at the National Marine Manufacturers Association. Batteries are much less energy dense than gasoline, and pushing a boat through water takes more power than propelling a car down the road.

Compared with cars, “it’s going to be a little more challenging, take a little longer for the entire recreational boat fleet to transition to electrification,” Donahue said.

Alloy’s boats will be as lightweight as possible to make them more energy efficient, Cotter said. They’ll also be aimed at people who take their boats out during the day and bring them back to the dock at night to charge.

Although there’s no official count, electric vessels probably make up less than 1% of the 12 million boats registered in the U.S., Donahue said.

But selling even 10,000 to 20,000 boats would introduce a lot of people to electric boating, Cotter said.

“Our mission is to get a million new people on the water safely over the next 10 years,” he said.

Classification society Korean Register (KR) has agreed to collaborate with Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) and KLCSM on autonomous navigation systems for ships.

The three parties signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to conduct joint research on the application of autonomous navigation systems for mid-sized to large-sized vessels.

As part of the agreement, KLCSM’s fleet of operating ships will be equipped with SHI’s autonomous navigation system, called Samsung Autonomous Ship (SAS), for risk assessments.

The system will also support the development and certification of cybersecurity systems, as well as provide a review of the conformity of different agreements and standards for future approval of ship registries.

Additionally, KR, SHI and KLCSM agreed to work together to commercialise autonomous navigation systems through the Marine Equipment Directive (MED) certification of SHI’s Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) modules.

KR Plan Approval Center head Yeon Kyujin said: “I am quite confident that our strong collaboration will accelerate the commercialisation of autonomous ship equipment and technology, and enhance the quality and competitiveness of the equipment by establishing an actual ship-based autonomous operating system.”

KLCSM Corporation Managing Department director Kwon O-gil said: “With this latest joint cooperation, more autonomous navigation systems will be successfully applied to ships, which will further increase the efficiency of ship management.

“We also expect to improve vessel safety and improve the environment of ship operations amid a current shortage of sailors.”

Founded in 1960, KR offers verification and certification services for ships and other maritime structures. It has been a member of the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) since 1988.

Recently, KR granted approval in principle (AIP) for a methanol dual-fuel very large crude oil carrier (VLCC).

Source: https://www.ship-technology.com/news/kr-autonomous-navigation-systems-ships/

The possibility now exists for ships to navigate the globe with no one at the helm. This capability has been demonstrated in the United States, Europe and Japan by autonomous workboats, survey vessels, and coastwise voyages by autonomous cargo vessels and ferries with the development of larger vessels capable of making trans-oceanic voyages coming soon. Despite this new reality, aside from a patchwork of voluntary best practices, there are no international standards for the safe design, operation or maintenance of autonomous vessels.

Recognizing this gap, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has recently completed a so-called Regulatory Scoping Exercise (RSE) to begin the process of creating a framework for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (known as MASS) to enable their safe operation within existing IMO instruments, the most significant being the Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGS).

Source: https://www.blankrome.com/publications/autonomous-cargo-ships-and-new-collision-regulations

(www.MaritimeCyprus.com) The landscape of maritime commerce is rapidly shifting as advances in digital technology drive industry towards increased automation. Globally, in Norway and Finland, vessels like the Yara Birkeland and Finnferries’ Falco, respectively, have demonstrated through the future of research and development in this space.

Additionally, we looked at the risks and challenges that must be overcome to enable safe and secure deployment of autonomous technology in the maritime domain. With new this technology comes risks that challenge the norms of safety and operational requirements.
Accordingly, the US Coast Guard must understand these emerging technologies and their limitations, in order to provide a clear path towards sensible, prudent regulation in alignment with our global partners. Further, Captains of the Port must continue to engage with maritime stakeholders to manage new autonomous vessel projects, research, and testing while minimizing risks to local waterways.

Globally, the International Maritime Organization continues its efforts, working with maritime nations to establish governance of autonomous vessels and chart the path forward for modifications to international conventions. In parallel, domestic efforts are ongoing as the U.S. Coast Guard is currently evaluating amendments to regulations and policy needed to keep pace with the forthcoming changes brought by autonomous shipping. Concurrently, industry continues to innovate and develop new and exciting systems that highlight gaps in current international and domestic requirements. We will work through these challenges together to ensure alignment in our mutual goals for a continued safe, prosperous, and technologically advanced maritime sector.

As we move forward, autonomous technology provides a tremendous opportunity for our maritime workforce and creates a demand signal for young leaders who understand the technology and can help shape the future operating environment. We are excited to see
contributions from the maritime academies who are integrating autonomous technology into their curriculums to train the next generation of mariners. There are also articles from some of the USCG junior officers who recently earned post graduate degrees and others who are pursuing excellence in the field.

 

Autonomous technology brings new challenges, pushing the bounds of international and domestic laws, regulations, and standards. In many cases, these guiding documents will require modifications to account for the changing risk profile these vessels and systems pose. Internationally, work on this front continues through the International Maritime Organization. Domestically, the US Coast Guard continues to address policy and regulatory
gaps while working closely with Captains of the Port and Officers in Charge, Marine Inspection to ensure a consistent and standardized approach to these new vessel projects is employed.

As this technology progresses, mariners’ roles are changing. In the future, these positions will likely be increasingly technical and work in concert with automated systems in the course of vessel navigation, engineering, and maintenance. Solutions to the challenges presented by autonomous vessels are not simple. They will require close cooperation between the technology industry, vessel operators, and regulators.

Read more on the subject, in this edition of Proceedings, Spring 2022 edition of the US Coast Guard Journal of Safety & Security at Sea, highlighting the innovative developments in autonomous vessel technology and the challenges faced by industry and regulators in the drive towards greater automation in the maritime landscape:

Source: USCG

Yara and tech company Kongsberg have created the ship YARA Birkeland which is all set to become the world’s first crewless cargo ship with zero carbon footprint. Finally, the container shipping industry has taken the next giant leap- viz the introduction of autonomous cargo ships. Although the concept of a self-steering cargo ship might sound like a scene from a sci-fi movie, autonomous cargo vessels are no longer a distant vision. Today, we will provide you with a very interesting report on the first zero-emission and autonomous cargo vessel and its long-term implications for the container shipping industry.

A brief introduction to autonomous vessels for container shipping industry

Over the years, the container shipping industry has been pioneering new technologies to ensure a quick transition to green shipping. Any ship that can navigate without human intervention and with the help of artificial intelligence programmes is called an autonomous ship. These ships are all set to revolutionize the ocean freight sector by making sea freight shipping more profitable and agile.

Presently, autonomous vessels are divided into 4 major types:

• Ships with multiple automated processes that still require the presence of humans on board
• Remotely controlled ships that don’t require the presence of the full crew
• Remotely controlled ships that can operate without a crew
• Fully self-steering ships with an operating system capable of making decisions

There are several advantages to autonomous ships. Firstly, the primary benefit of these ships is the near elimination of all human errors. Additionally, the presence of fewer crew members will imply less onboard maintenance while shipping. Therefore, autonomous ships will greatly reduce the expenses of the container shipping sector. Most importantly, these ships will use sustainable fuels like hydrogen or even electricity. This in turn will reduce the environmental impact of the container shipping industry.

Yara Birkeland- the world’s first autonomous cargo ship

Yara Birkeland is the world’s first autonomous zero-emission cargo ship that runs on electricity. Kongsberg is the company that is providing all the key technologies such as sensors, batteries, propulsion control systems, etc. required for the seamless functioning of the battery-powered ship. The ship with a length of 80 m and weighing around 3,200 tonnes includes computers and sensors that allow for sailing without a crew via remote control. Most importantly, this self-steering ship is also environmentally sustainable as it produces zero-emission. It has a cargo capacity of 120 TEU and a battery capacity of 6.8 MWh. Commercial operation of this vessel will commence shortly.

How this ship will transform the container shipping industry

Last November, the Yara Birkeland embarked on its maiden voyage from Horten to Oslo. Once fully operational, this ship will replace truck haulage by 40,000 truck trips a year between Porsgrunn and Brevik. This will allow it to reduce the emission of 1,000 tonnes of CO2. The sensors of this vessel comprise of radar, infrared cams, and automotive integrated solution cameras. Together they provide the vessel with the ability to detect any obstacles in its way and bypass them. This is a great technology that can forever change the workings of cargo ships.

The Yara Birkeland also comes with automatic mooring arms that permit unmanned mooring and docking at the ports. To quote Jostein Braaten, the project leader of Yara Birkeland, “Yara is constantly seeking opportunities to improve not only the business but also safety and our environmental footprint. By introducing Yara Birkeland, Yara wants to show a dedication to improving the environmental impact from this transport of goods.”

The ship uses cloud technologies to offer the on-shore remote operation office with all the data related to voyage and operation. Moreover, this ship only requires remote takeover in the unlikely event of an error requiring human assistance. The Yara Birkeland is capable of loading and offloading the freight, navigating, and recharging its batteries without any human intervention.

The advantages of crewless operations

One of the major factors that allow Yara Birkeland to leave a mark on the industry is the total autonomy of the ship. The fact that it doesn’t require a single person on board comes with several advantages like lower staffing expenses and more space for cargo. Most importantly, crewless shipping improves the safety of shipping operations since most accidents in the container shipping industry occur due to human error.

Although this technology is still in its initial phase, it will keep playing a significant role in the future of the maritime sector. It will also enhance the competitiveness of shipping for short-distance routes. In the future, autonomous ships will help to deal with the problems of traffic jams and the problem of driver shortages. As Mr Braaten explains, “We see that autonomy in maritime has really picked up the pace after the news of Yara Birkeland was released. It is no longer a question of “if” autonomy is coming, it is a matter of “when”. Autonomy is an enabler and a potential catalyst for the green shift in maritime. We are delighted to be leading this shift and see that by realizing this concept – others are following.”

Source: https://www.globalialogisticsnetwork.com/blog/2022/07/07/the-worlds-first-autonomous-cargo-ship-and-its-relevance-for-the-container-shipping-industry/

Classification society Korean Register (KR) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with ship management company Korea Leading Company of Ship Management (KLCSM) and shipbuilder Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) for joint research and commercialization of autonomous navigation systems for mid- to large-sized vessels.

The agreement, which was signed on 23 June at this year’s Korea Ocean Expo in Incheon, seeks to accelerate the commercialization and international competitiveness of domestic autonomous ship equipment and technology by establishing an actual ship-based autonomous operating system that is jointly developed between domestic shipping companies, shipyards and KR.

The announcement comes as an increasing number of shipowners integrate artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things, Big Data and sensor systems into their vessels in order to assist vessel crews.

According to the MOU, SHI’s autonomous navigation system, known as the Samsung Autonomous Ship (SAS), will be applied to KLCSM’s fleet of operating ships to perform risk assessments, develop and certify cyber-security systems, and review the conformity of various agreements and standards for future domestic approval.

In addition, SHI will conduct a comprehensive collaboration for the commercialization of autonomous navigation systems through the certification of ship equipment and Marine Equipment Directive (MED) for Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) modules.

“KR will provide technical support for this project in order to further the development and operation autonomous navigation systems,” Yeon Kyujin, Head of Plan Approval Center at KR, said.

“With this latest joint cooperation, more autonomous navigation systems will be successfully applied to ships, which will further increase the efficiency of ship management,” Kwon Ohgil, Managing Director of KLCSM, explained.

“We also expect to improve vessel safety and improve the environment of ship operations amid a current shortage of sailors.”

“SHI is focusing its capabilities on the research and development for the commercialization of autonomous navigation technologies for ocean and coastal navigation, including conducting practical ship operations based on the maritime demonstration of our own SAS autonomous navigation system,” Kim Hyunjo, Director of the Marine Shipbuilding Research Center of SHI, added.

In addition to this MOU, KR has been building up its related classification certification performance and autonomous navigation ship technology by applying its rules, cyber-security certification and risk-based approval in accordance with its ‘Guidance for Autonomous Ships’ which was published in 2019.

Source: https://www.offshore-energy.biz/kr-klcsm-and-shi-team-up-on-autonomous-navigation-systems-for-ships/