Japan will test its first self-driving cargo ship, which will face the test of a 236-mile range
Release time：2024-09-18click：0
According to foreign media reports, within 20 years from now, half of all Japanese domestic ships operating in Japan’s coastal waters may be autonomous. This is an ambitious goal of the Nippon Foundation, a public benefit organization that supports the development of autonomous ships for ocean voyages in the country. The organization's goal is that by 2040, 50% of Japan's domestic fleet will be unmanned.
With support from the foundation, a group including Japan’s largest shipping company Nippon Yusen KK plans to test a ship from Tokyo Bay in February next year Self-driving container ships. According to Nippon Yusen Kaisha, the 380-kilometer (236-mile) voyage will be the first time in the world to test an autonomous ship in an area with heavy maritime traffic.
By 2030, the global autonomous shipping market may reach approximately US$166 billion. “Our mission is to put Japan at the forefront of the rest of the world when it comes to ship automation,” Satoru Kuwahara, general manager of Nippon Yusen subsidiary Japan Marine Science Corp., said in an interview last Thursday. Kuwahara, a captain himself, said Japan has a real need for autonomous ships as its workforce is shrinking and aging rapidly. For example, in the country’s domestic tanker industry, nearly 40% of crew members are over 55 years old, according to a recent survey. The Nippon Foundation estimates that the development of autonomous ships will have a positive impact on the Japanese economy of about 1 trillion yen ($9 billion) in 2040, taking into account factors such as artificial intelligence that should improve efficiency. Kuwahara said there are other benefits, such as lower insurance premiums and better protection.
Research on safety in the shipping industry shows that approximately 70% of maritime accidents are caused by human error. "Given Japan's shrinking workforce, these technologies are increasingly needed to maintain safety," Kuwahara said.
In the February test, everything from weather to radar data points All will be collected and processed at a support center on the ground. This direction is then fed back to the ship. In the event of a malfunction, the ship's steering can be moved away from the center.
Kuwahara said he believes the technology will be ready for practical use by 2025. Until then, the "big challenge" will be developing a regulatory environment and industry standards around autonomous shipping, he said. Currently, Kuwahara and others are preparing for a trial voyage in 2022, east of Tokyo.A technology center is conducting simulations.
“We need to acknowledge this technology, otherwise actual implementation in society will not be possible,” Kuwahara said. "As a first demonstration, we cannot fail."
(Original title: Japan will test its first self-driving cargo ship and will face the test of a 236-mile voyage)
