Since 1850, the average ship crew size has been reduced from some 250 to around 15. The technologies needed to make remotely controlled, autonomous and unmanned shipping a reality exist today. Vessels are already equipped with technology to see at night and through fog and snow – better than the human eye – and more ships are fitted with systems to manage and transmit large volumes of data. The technology is in place and the time has come to move more shipping operations ashore.
Instead of having a crew of 15 sailing in a storm in the North Sea, the same operator could monitor and steer many ships from a control room on shore. A new era is emerging: this month “YARA Birkeland" was unveiled, the world’s first fully autonomous, zero-emissions ship. It will be in operation by 2018.
Next is now: get ready for shipping 4.0
Increasingly autonomous shipping has the potential to bring benefits to the industry, their customers and to society at large. As ships become more connected, these 10 main drivers will, in my opinion, gradually transform the shipping industry towards new business models. These models will be based on more remote control, more autonomy and a reduced need for onboard manning.
- Increased safety. Human error is a significant part of 70% to 80% of all accidents at sea. Replacing human control with reliable technology has the potential to increase safety radically.
- Reduced operational cost. Unmanned or partly unmanned shipping has a significant potential to reduce cost. Manning costs typically represent more than 30% of the total ship operation costs and around 10% of average trip rates.
- Reduced construction costs. Removing superstructure, accommodation and deckhouses will reduce the construction costs (no air conditioning, heating, ventilation, etc). Many facilities and systems are only onboard to ensure that the crew is kept fed, safe, and comfortable. To reduce or eliminate the need for onboard crew will radically simplify vessel design and lower construction and maintenance costs.
- Increased environmental sustainability. Slow steaming is possibly the most obvious approach to achieve this objective. Lowering the fuel consumption of a vessel can in parallel reduce its emissions. Slower sailing speeds become economically viable if crew costs can be reduced. Hence, the effects of unmanned autonomous vessels on a wider deployment of slow steaming will not only contribute economically, but also significantly towards the environmental sustainability of maritime transport.
- Increased social sustainability. Seagoing professions are increasingly being perceived as unattractive. Sea passages are long and often lacking in variety. Port calls that might offer some change to the daily routine are short, allowing for little time ashore. Mariners are confronted with a disconnection from their social environment due to the long periods spent away from family and friends. The concept of unmanned autonomous vessels offers an opportunity for improvement by increasing the attractiveness of seafaring. Seafarers of the future could control and monitor the routing and navigation of an unmanned ship from a shoreside operations centre, plan the vessel’s maintenance schedule, or even pilot the ship during its approach to a port. At the same time, they could live closer to their families and enjoy more regular working hours.
- Stronger competence base. As operations, tasks and jobs gradually move from sea to shore, the competence requirements will develop. This will attract talents with new complementary competencies that will strengthen the shipping industry.
- Increased competitiveness. Smarter ships with increased cargo capacity (no superstructure or deckhouses) and reduced operational costs will make the shipping industry more competitive, compared to other modes of transportation. As well as increasing trade volumes, moving cargo from shore to sea would reduce the density of polluting cargo trucks on the roads.
- Reduced risk of piracy. There would be fewer human hostage situations, and a remote-controlled ship could be “shut down” from shore. This would make it more difficult for pirates to take control of a vessel.
- Opening up new opportunities and solutions. As well as creating more space for cargo, removing facilities for onboard crew will open up new solutions for automatic loading and unloading. Other examples of new opportunities include small unmanned vessels replacing the need for more expensive city infrastructure, such as bridges.
- New business models. Going forward we will see business model innovation through the entire value chain of shipping, building on a more advanced and connected ship technology platform. For example, UK-based freight forwarder Marine Transport International Ltd has started using blockchain technology to create real-time digital ledgers of shipping data. This will benefit port officials, cargo owners and others along global supply chains. In 2014, Maersk began installing 3-D printers on ships in order to test onboard printing of spare parts. The U.S. Navy is examining new possibilities for autonomy in naval missions. It recently put vessels to the test in a demonstration in the lower Chesapeake Bay.
The ReVolt unmanned shipping concept
The ReVolt is a prototype of DNV GL’s vision for the future of coastal cargo shipping. It is intended to serve as an inspiration for equipment manufacturers, shipyards and shipowners as they endeavour to develop new solutions for a safer and more sustainable future. With no crew, there is no need for crew facilities. There is a resulting increase in loading capacity and lower operating and maintenance costs. Compared to diesel-run ships, ReVolt could save up to USD34 million during its estimated 30-year lifetime – more than USD1 million annually.
The road ahead
The road towards connected autonomous shipping will be stepwise. It will start with small specialized cargo vessels for coastal and local traffic. There are many levels toward full autonomy, and we will see a gradual increase for all vessels as technology matures. Increasingly wider operational areas will become autonomous, as well as larger ships. Regulatory and legal frameworks need to be developed to facilitate a safe and responsible uptake of new technology and solutions.
Unmanned shipping has huge potential to drive economic, environmental and social sustainability in the shipping industry. I am happy to see a lot of exciting development taking place in the industry.
The vessel "YARA Birkeland" will be the world's first fully electric and autonomous container ship, with zero emissions. Operation is planned to start in the latter half of 2018, shipping products from YARA's Porsgrunn production plant to Brevik and Larvik in Norway.
Named "YARA Birkeland" after YARA's founder, the famous scientist and innovator Kristian Birkeland, the vessel will be the world's first fully electric container feeder. YARA's new vessel will reduce NOx and CO2 emissions and improve road safety by removing up to 40,000 truck journeys in populated urban areas.
The Norwegian Shipping industry is also actively pushing the agenda forward. Recently the Norwegian Maritime Authority and the Norwegian Coastal Administration agreed to open the world’s first autonomous ship testing area. The Norwegian Forum for Autonomous Ships (NFAS) brings together and shares information to organizations interested in autonomous ships.
These new zero-emission vessels will be a game-changer for global maritime transport, contributing to meeting the UN sustainability goals.