Norwegian shipowner Grieg Star and G2 Ocean its joint venture subsidiary with Gerabulk have announced they have joined forces with other partners to research the feasibility of safe autonomous deep-sea ships.

Autonomous ships have been a much-discussed idea for years. Developers have made several tests, but the technology is still young. Together with 20 other partners, Grieg Star and G2 Ocean have supported the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in setting up a research centre dedicated to safe autonomous ships. On 12 June, The Research Council of Norway awarded more than NOK 20mn to the project.

The goal of SFI Autoship is to ensure that Norwegian players take a leading and leading role in this development, especially concerning technology, business models and security. To achieve this, the centre brings together over 20 partners from the Norwegian maritime cluster, including end-users, product and service providers, research institutes, universities and authorities. The centre’s funding is over 200 million Norwegian kroner over eight years.

SFI Autoship will develop new knowledge, methods, tools, prototypes, technology and candidates for the Norwegian maritime industry. Its goal is to be a world-leading centre for research and innovation on autonomous ships, with a particular focus on safe and secure solutions.

Grieg Star will, together with G2 Ocean, contribute on two defined studies providing ship development and management expertise.

• Deep-sea bulk cargo transport
  • Automated navigation (ocean crossing)​
• Improved and automated cargo-handling/crane operations​
• Automated engine control room

• Short sea and coastal cargo transport ​​
  • Unmanned vessel design and operations, including auto-docking and auto-mooring​
• Improved logistics, including port and hinterland​
• Onshore control centre and communication ship-shore​

Source: shipinsight

DP World reports that its CARGOES TOS+ cloud-based Terminal Operating System (TOS), part of its in-house Zodiac software platform, has completed its ‘go-live’ at the Commercial Port of Luanda, Angola.

CARGOES TOS+ is an integrated platform for terminal IT and operational systems, providing users with real-time information on vessel, gate, and yard movements. The software project began following the signing of a 20-year concession agreement between the Angolan government and DP World in January 2021.

The cloud-based system was deployed in just two months, forming part of a wider range of investments from DP World into upgrades at the Port of Luanda and other locations in Africa.

“Our mission is to find solutions to solve challenges for our customers and partners. And we are focused on making a positive economic and societal impact through the delivery of our technology and digital solutions,” said COO for Logistics and Technology at DP World, Mike Bhaskaran.

“Luanda is a great example of how DP World is enabling smarter trade for emerging economies to compete on a global stage.”

The application in use at DP World Luanda has now been implemented at 87 sites globally, including DP World Limassol, Cyprus, where the Zodiac cloud-Based TOS is used for General Cargo, the company says.

Source: smartmaritimenetwork

According to a report from Allied Market Research, the global autonomous ships market generated $85.84 billion in 2020 and is estimated to grow to $165.61 billion by 2030, registering a compond annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8% from 2020 to 2030.

A surge in operational safety of ships and rise in demand for cargo transportation through marines have boosted the growth of the global autonomous ships market. The market across Europe is expected to manifest the highest CAGR of 8.1% from 2020 to 2030. However, the pandemic and its impact on international trade have forced original equipment manufacturers and shipping companies to rely on artificial intelligence and advanced technologies.

A rise in operational safety of ships and an increase in demand for cargo transportation through marines drive the growth of the global autonomous ships market. However, complexity of the network and the risk of exploitation by hacking hinder the market growth. On the contrary, surge in marine safety norms and the anticipated trend of automation in marine transportation would open new opportunities for the market players in the future.

The Covid-19 outbreak and followed lockdown across various countries encouraged countries to implement remote working to continue the business operations and fleet observation.

However, the suspension of international trade has negatively impacted the demand for autonomous ships.

The pandemic and its impact on international trade have impelled original equipment manufacturers and shipping companies to rely on artificial intelligence, due to a lack of labor force.

However, as governments across various countries have declared relaxation of lockdown regulations and international trade, the market is expected to get back on track.

The global autonomous ships market is segmented on the basis of level of autonomy, ship type, component, fuel type, and geography. Based on level of autonomy, the market is divided into semi-autonomous and fully autonomous. The fully autonomous segment is projected to portray the highest CAGR of 27.5% during the forecast period. However, the semi-autonomous segment dominated the market in 2020, contributing to more than 90% of the total revenue of the market.

On the basis of component type, the market is classified into hardware and software. The software segment is anticipated to register the highest CAGR of 7.9% from 2020 to 2030. However, the hardware segment held the largest share in 2020, accounting for more than 3/5 of the market.

Based on geography, the global autonomous ships market is analyzed across various regions such as North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and LAMEA. The market across Europe is expected to register the highest CAGR of 8.1% from 2020 to 2030. However, the market across Asia-Pacific held the largest share in 2020, contributing to nearly half of the market.

Source: workboat

Source: thedigitalship

With no human captain or onboard crew, the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) uses AI and the energy from the sun to travel further and reveal more about the ocean. Working in tandem with scientists and other autonomous vessels, MAS provides a flexible and cost-effective platform for deepening understanding of critical issues such as climate change, ocean plastic pollution and marine mammal conservation. In parallel, the development of marine autonomous systems promises to transform ocean-related industries such as shipping, oil & gas, telecommunications, security & defence, fishing & aquaculture.

Source: newsroom

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, the global market for Autonomous Ships estimated at US$ 6.8 Billion in the year 2020, is projected to reach a revised size of US$ 9.9 Billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 5.6% over the period 2020-2027.

Commercial, one of the segments analyzed in the report, is projected to record 5.8% CAGR and reach US$ 6 Billion by the end of the analysis period. After an early analysis of the business implications of the pandemic and its induced economic crisis, growth in the Defense segment is readjusted to a revised 5.3% CAGR for the next 7-year period.

The U.S. Market is Estimated at $2 Billion, While China is Forecast to Grow at 5.2% CAGR

The Autonomous Ships market in the U.S. is estimated at US$ 2 Billion in the year 2020. China, the world`s second largest economy, is forecast to reach a projected market size of US$ 1.7 Billion by the year 2027 trailing a CAGR of 5.2% over the analysis period 2020 to 2027. Among the other noteworthy geographic markets are Japan and Canada, each forecast to grow at 5.3% and 4.4% respectively over the 2020-2027 period. Within Europe, Germany is forecast to grow at approximately 4.6% CAGR.

Key Topics Covered:

I. METHODOLOGY

II. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. MARKET OVERVIEW

• Influencer Market Insights
• World Market Trajectories
• Impact of Covid-19 and a Looming Global Recession
• Global Competitor Market Shares
• Autonomous Ships Competitor Market Share Scenario Worldwide (in %): E
• Global Competitor Market Shares by Segment

2. FOCUS ON SELECT PLAYERS (Total 36 Featured):

• ABB
• General Electric (Ge)
• Honeywell International
• Hyundai Heavy Industries (Hhi)
• Kongsberg Gruppen
• Marine Technologies LLC
• Marlink
• Praxis Automation & Technology B.V.
• Rh Marine
• Rolls-Royce

3. MARKET TRENDS & DRIVERS

4. GLOBAL MARKET PERSPECTIVE

• World Current & Future Analysis for Autonomous Ships by Geographic Region – USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets – Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR
• World Current & Future Analysis for Commercial by Geographic Region – USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets – Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR
• World Current & Future Analysis for Defense by Geographic Region – USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets – Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR
• World Current & Future Analysis for Partial Automation by Geographic Region – USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets – Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR
• World Current & Future Analysis for Fully Autonomous by Geographic Region – USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets – Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR
• World Current & Future Analysis for Remote Operations by Geographic Region – USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets – Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR
• World Current & Future Analysis for New Built & Line Fit by Geographic Region – USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets – Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR
• World Current & Future Analysis for Retrofit by Geographic Region – USA, Canada, Japan, China, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of World Markets – Independent Analysis of Annual Sales in US$ Million for Years 2020 through 2027 and % CAGR

Source: prnewswire

Momentum is continuing to grow for the adoption of autonomous technologies to enhance the safety and operations of ships. In the latest step to accelerate the deployment of these technologies into commercial shipping, Damen Shipyard and Sea Machines Robotics entered into a strategic alliance to further investigate the adoption of autonomous technologies starting with collision avoidance functionality. They plan to initially incorporate the technology into a broad range of ships, including workboats, patrol vessels, tugboats, crew transfer vessels, and ferries built by Damen.

Over the last four years, the Damen Shipyards Group notes that it has been investing in autonomous shipping technologies, participating in several joint industry projects to research the readiness level of the technologies. The new alliance aims at speeding up the adoption of several navigation technologies to increase autonomy levels on Damen-built vessels.

“We don’t so much see autonomous ships as unmanned ‘ghost’ vessels, plowing the oceans in silence,” said Toine Cleophas, research manager at Damen. “We foresee ships where a number of tasks are automated, allowing the crew to have a more focused approach to those tasks that still require the human element, such as the various activities that take place when the vessel arrives in the port. In some situations, a fully autonomous ship may be required, in other cases only parts of the activities will be automated to support the onboard crew, thereby increasing safety and efficiency.”

Damen will first adopt Sea Machines’ SM300 autonomous-command and remote-helm control technology in its test environment. According to Damen, this will make it possible to predict the integration complexity and system performance on any kind of vessel. By adopting this solution in software models, a digital twin of the ship becomes reality and will display the benefits of autonomous technology even before it is installed onboard.

Source: maritime-executive

Each of the ship manager’s 12 vessels will deploy the state-of-the-art system, enabling ZSM to effectively benchmark voyage execution, support the safety of the fleet and reduce crew workload. The order with Wärtsilä Voyage was placed in December 2020.

FOS integrates Electronic Chart Display and Information System (ECDIS) with voyage planning functions as well as enabling a ship-to-shore link from the system. With the capability of harnessing data from other ship systems and external sources and deploying advanced analytics and machine learning to deliver insights, FOS is a powerful tool with multiple uses. For ZSM, supporting navigational safety was one of the priorities given its importance to tanker owners and charterers.

The delivery includes the FOS navigation package, spanning voyage planning and execution modules, ECDIS operational leases and the Wärtsilä BridgeMate tablet application that enables back-up charts, navigation decision support and the berthing assistance on wings to be accessed from anywhere on the vessel.

Simplified voyage planning and accurately monitored voyage execution – allowing for benchmarking, assessment and continuous improvement – are fundamental to tanker owners and charterers given the high potential cost of safety concerns. One immediate benefit of FOS is a dramatic reduction in the amount of time needed to plan routes, leaving crew with more time to focus on other work critical to securing safe passage. Real-time monitoring, advanced weather routing and instant updates of charts are among the further advantages of the connected solution.

“Digital innovation is a key element for ZSM to ensure that our managed vessels are executing voyages as safely and as efficiently as possible. Wärtsilä’s solution gives us that increased transparency, connecting key stakeholders onboard and ashore in real-time, as well as making navigation and planning easier for the crew”, said Matthias Ritters, managing director, Zeaborn Ship Management Tankers.

“This important contract with a progressive ship manager highlights the value that FOS can bring to a variety of maritime operators in diverse areas. Whether looking to make improvements on a single vessel or at a fleet level, to drive safety or improve efficiency, FOS can support you. We are delighted to begin this cooperation with ZSM”, said Alex van Knotsenborg, global sales director, Wärtsilä Voyage.

Source: thedigitalship

It comes as no surprise that U.S. importers have been experiencing a tremendous increase in cost of ocean freight. Ocean freight rates have been steadily increasing over the past several months. And, the reality is, there is no end in sight to these skyrocketing costs.

Global pandemics have global consequences, and the consequences created by the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) global pandemic certainly bears that out. In the first quarter of 2020, China factories were forced to close down in an attempt to slow the spread of the Coronavirus. When those factories finally re-opened in the early part of the second quarter of 2020, order backlogs were their first priority.

Next came the need to fill new orders, which were coming in it at record levels. This dynamic created the first part of the “Perfect Storm.” With the worldwide lockdowns in 2020 as a result of COVID-19, a new dynamic was created.

People were forced to work from their homes and many still are and will be for quite some time. This phenomenon created a significant increase in the utilization of online shopping networks, to order merchandise they would normally pick up at a retail store. That was coupled with the fear of shortages of everyday necessities, which then created even more havoc in U.S. consumers’ buying trends.

Demand outweighed supply and that trend is continuing.

Fast forward to where we are today, and we not only see continually increasing ocean shipping costs, but we are now also experiencing major delays in getting products from Southeast Asia to North America. The main reason behind these delays is the lack of space availability on ocean carrier’s vessels, which is exacerbated by a shortage of available ocean containers to meet the importers’ shipping demands. In addition, with limited workforces at several U.S. ports, many ships are anchored offshore on the West Coast waiting for births to be unloaded. Recent estimates claimed that over 60 ships were waiting for their turn to unload their cargo at several West Coast Ports.

Source: foodlogistics

Source: wartsila