Autonomous Vessels: How an Emerging Disruptive Technology Is Poised to Impact the Maritime Industry Much Sooner Than Anticipated

• Citation: Vol. 1 No. 1
• Publication year: 2018

Sean T. Pribyl and Alan M. Weigel^*

Automated vessel technology is rapidly transiting from the theoretical to the practical as the number and scope of unmanned vessel or autonomous ship projects increase around the globe. This article provides a brief history of autonomous vessel operations and discusses advanced automation in shipping and the perceived benefits and risks of this emerging technology.

The maritime industry is currently experiencing a sea change in technological disruption through the increased development of advanced automation on unmanned surface vessels ("USVs"). Automated vessel technology is rapidly transiting from the theoretical to the practical as the number and scope of unmanned vessel or autonomous ship projects increase around the globe. Once thought to be decades away from implementation into domestic maritime transportation systems, advanced automation aboard USVs is emerging now as a potentially viable alternative for some industry stakeholders to reduce operational costs, improve safety, and increase productivity and efficiency.

BACKGROUND

Autonomous vessel operations are by no means a novel concept. In fact, Nikola Tesla anticipated advanced autonomy in the maritime sector in his November 8, 1898 patent for "Method of and apparatus for controlling mechanism of moving vessels or vehicles."¹ Over the past few years though, drawing-board concepts have turned to operational reality in the race to greater vessel autonomy. For many years, Unmanned underwater vehicles ("UUVs") have been used successfully throughout the maritime industry, most

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notably in the oil and gas exploration sector.² Commercial surface vessels are now following.

To illustrate, in 2015, Rolls-Royce announced its intention to lead an autonomous ships project and the following year unveiled their vision of the future of remote and autonomous shipping.³ In 2016, UK-based Automated Ships and Norway's Kongsberg announced their agreement to build the world's first unmanned and fully-automated vessel for offshore operation, the Hrdnn.⁴ The next year, Kongsberg announced their intent to build and operate the world's first zero emission and zero ballast autonomous container vessel, the Yara Birkeland, that would be capable of performing fully autonomous operations in 2020 while operating solely in Norwegian waters. The following month, Rolls-Royce and towing operator Svitzer conducted a successful demonstration of a remotely operated commercial tug in Copenhagen, Denmark.⁵ And, on September 19, 2017, the Boston-based company Sea Machines Robotics Inc. announced the release of its Sea Machines 300 Autonomous Control System, the first industrial-grade control system that is available standardized off-the-shelf for remote and autonomous control of conventional boats.⁶

As automated technology in the maritime sector continues to advance from mere concepts on the distant horizon to practical applications in the very near future, an urgent debate over how to safely integrate them alongside manned vessels in a cost-effective manner is emerging. The path to autonomy in shipping, however, is not without obstacles. As with other transportation industries and sectors evaluating advanced automation, there are legal, public policy, and regulatory issues which merit debate and careful analysis.

ADVANCED AUTOMATION IN SHIPPING: THRESHOLD ISSUES

References to autonomous shipping may generate futurist images of a completely unmanned cargo vessel relying on artificial intelligence plying international waters. The reality, however, is that an implementation of automation is not simplistic and will likely be incremental before reaching fully autonomous oceangoing cargo ships, if ever. For example, the discussion of advanced

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automation in shipping in the near term includes varying levels of autonomy aboard various types of vessels. And although innovators are moving towards fully autonomous oceangoing vessels relying on artificial intelligence, that concept currently remains on the horizon. Therefore, when analyzing vessel operations using advanced autonomy, the threshold analysis is a determination of the level of autonomy to be used, the type of vessel on which the technology will be utilized, and in what location the vessel would be operating. In other words, advanced automation should not be encapsulated within an example of a single autonomous vessel. Rather, automation should be reviewed through several levels of autonomy as part of the overall integration into international trade and the domestic maritime transportation system alike.

Generally, there are various levels of vessel autonomy that may offer clarity to any discussion on proposed maritime operations. While some experts define an autonomous ship as "a vessel primarily guided by automated on-board decision systems but controlled by a remote operator in a shore side control station," that definition is only a starting point on the larger scope of potential USV operations.⁷ Thus, in an effort to assist ship owners and operators, vessel designers, shipbuilders, and equipment manufacturers to assess opportunity and risk, Lloyd's Register has published guidance in which they define six levels of autonomy beyond manual operations ranging from what they describe as 'AL 1' through to 'AL 6.'⁸

Under manual operations, decision-making is performed without autonomous function with a human in control of vessel actions. 'AL 1' includes on-board decision support in which all actions are taken by a human, but actions are influenced by decision support and on-board systems. Next, 'AL 2' involves on and off-board decision support, in which a human operator takes all actions but systems on or off-board offer decision support tools that may influence selected actions. At 'AL 3,'...