Challenges in Implementing Autonomous Ships

This study focuses on the three main challenges faced by the shipping industry in the implementation of autonomous ships: response to emergencies, quality assurance, and regulatory barriers.

Running head: AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING OPERATION
Autonomous Shipping Operation
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING OPERATION
Introduction
Autonomous vehicles are seen in land-based transport modes and a wide variety of the
autonomous vehicles are seen in the modern container terminals, automated guided vehicles,
self-driving intralogistics vehicles and automated subways. Likewise, wide range of approaches
pertaining to the autonomous control concepts are used in the field of modern aviation. Similarly,
autonomous maritime transport in the shipping industry is also seen as a possibility to meet the
future’s sustainability challenges, safety challenges, competitiveness1. The next generation of the
modular communication and control technologies will include the control functions both on and
off the board. Such technologies will also include capability of operating ships remotely through
the fully or semi autonomously control system. This description implies that the autonomous
ships will be controlled remotely through the remote-control mechanism with a shore based
human operator. Furthermore, the automated ships will have the decision support systems and it
will undertake the operational decisions independently without the need of a human operator.
However, there are certain issues that need to be addressed before the autonomous ships
becomes acceptable universally as a viable, secure, safe means of transport, and fully functional2.
This study will focus on the three main challenges faced by the shipping towards the
implementation of the autonomous ships.
Challenges in the implementation of autonomous ships
Response to the emergencies- The primary question is that, removing the human error
away from the vessel is really a better solution? Some of the technical systems like the
positioning systems and the electrical chart systems are very common these days. The risk of
1 Wróbel, Krzysztof, et al. "Towards the development of a risk model for unmanned vessels design and
operations." TransNav: International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation 10 (2016).
2 Patterson, Mark CL, Anthony Mulligan, and Fernando Boiteux. "Safety and security applications for micro-
unmanned surface vessels." Oceans-San Diego, 2013. IEEE, 2013.

2AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING OPERATION
failure in these systems is common even in the autonomous or unmanned vessels due to the fact
that such system will also exist in the unmanned vessels. In future technical risks will arise from
the technology even if communication systems, human sense is taken away from the autonomous
vessels. In the manned vessels instances occur where the data wiring might break down,
communication module computers, camera, sensors might stop working. Even in such situations,
the humans present in the vessel try to repair the broken instruments to revive its functioning.
However, the same cannot be true for the unmanned or autonomous vessels. Thus, an emergency
situation might arise from the cyber security, sensor systems, heavy weather implication,
technical operation principles, unmanned maintenance, shore control center, unmanned ship.
Potential hazards are identified when operating the unmanned bulk carriers3. The consequences
and the expected frequencies of the hazards are related to the risk calculated. While hazards are a
function of consequences and frequency of the incident. With respect to the responses to the
emergency situation in autonomous vessels, a number of situations have been identified. For
example, in the article 98 (1) of UNCLOS assistance during the emergency situations is an
obligation and the area where it has occurred. Considering the risk, such assistances will be
required by the passengers and the crew and even the distress call by a ship needs to be
considered. The Article especially delegates the burden and the authority to a master, and it has
been framed keeping in mind of a manned ship and not a crewless ship. However, if it assumed
that the master is onshore then new issues will arise. The emergency procedures taken will take
time to respond during an emergency situation4.
3 Wróbel, Krzysztof, Jakub Montewka, and Pentti Kujala. "Towards the assessment of potential impact of unmanned
vessels on maritime transportation safety." Reliability Engineering & System Safety 165 (2017): 155-169.
4 Porathe, Thomas. "Remote Monitoring and Control of Unmanned Vessels–The MUNIN Shore Control
Centre." Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Computer Applications and Information Technology
in the Maritime Industries (COMPIT ‘14). 2014.

3AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING OPERATION
Quality assurance- Article 94 (4) (a) of UNCLOS suggest each ship before and after
registration is surveyed by a qualified surveyor of ship at regular intervals. It has been
highlighted that a number of classification societies have already been preparing and conducting
checks at regular intervals by competent surveyors for the autonomous vessels. However, still no
standardization has been introduced and agreed upon. A vital code which is of utmost
importance not only includes the provisions of safety but it also includes the quality assurance
prevailing in the maritime industry5. The code is called the ISM code and it include the quality
standards that are self-imposed by the maritime industry and they are mostly based on the
International Organization for Standardization. The ISM codes also consist of regulatory
obligations along with the ISO standards, Swiss based Private international standards and its
representatives are from the various organizations that have expertise on the standards. The
standards for the quality checking include ISO 28007‐1:2015 International standards for Ships
and marine technology, ISO 9000:2015 (international standards for quality management) series,
requirements for service supply organizations, product supply organizations, sector specific
quality management systems, ISO/TS 29001:2010 International standards for natural gas
industries, petrochemical industries, guidelines for the private maritime security companies. It is
important to highlight that certain classification societies have already started to frame the basis
for the quality standards of the autonomous ships. However, a systematic approach is not
followed in preparing the subject6.
Regulatory barriers- The COLREG’s provides the instructions that are necessary for
navigation and it is meant to be followed to avoid collision at the sea. This is applicable when
5 Pritchett, Paul W. "Ghost ships: why the law should embrace unmanned vessel technology." Tul. Mar. LJ 40
(2015): 197.
6 Komianos, Aristotelis. "The Autonomous Shipping Era. Operational, Regulatory, and Quality Challenges." Int. J.
Mar. Navig. Saf. Sea Transp.12.2 (2018).

4AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING OPERATION
one ship or vessel is observed from the other. The Rule 5 (lookout) states that the it is important
to assess the special circumstances and assess the full appraisal of the risks of collision and also
to assess the judgement and the perception with the associated risk. These provisions are feasible
for a vessel which is monitored and operated from ashore as it satisfies the above-mentioned
conditions7. However, it is not applicable for an autonomous ship and these can never be
applicable for a fully autonomous ship. While the Article 9 of UN Convention on the Law of the
Sea (1982) states that each ship be under the command and control of a master and the master
needs to be in charge of the vessel at all times. SOLAS- SOLAS must be considered from a
human perspective because SOLAS sets the minimum safety standards at sea. It also includes the
obligation for master towards the assisting a ship or towards a person in distress. It is also
explicitly mentioned in the V/33 that a master is required to deviate from the normal procedure
and save life if he can. In certain cases, autonomous vessels can be better at responding to the
distress signals. But noting can substitute a visual confirmation and visual identification8.
Application of autonomous ships
Shipbuilder and the shipping firms believe that that autonomous hips will decrease
accidents and it will potentially eliminate the human error. Several shipping firms have joined
hands together and to build the remotely controlled cargo ships and it will be unveiled in the year
2025. These autonomous ships will utilize the internet of things and it will link a range of other
devices to collect the weather conditions and shipping information and it will plot the safest road
which will be shortest and efficient as well. This will potentially nullify the human error and
several shipping firms believe that the autonomous ships can dramatically reduce the accidents
7 Yemao, M., Monica Lundh, and Thomas Porathe. "Seeking harmony in shore‐based unmanned ship handling‐from
the perspective of human factors, what is the difference we need to focus on from being onboard to
onshore." Advances in Human Aspects of Transportation. Part I 231239 (2014).
8 Man, Yemao, et al. "From Desk to Field–Human Factor Issues in Remote Monitoring and Controlling of
Autonomous Unmanned Vessels." Procedia Manufacturing 3 (2015): 2674-2681.

5AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING OPERATION
occurring at sea. There is a high chance of autonomous cargo ships to sail in the high seas by the
2025 because many countries have invested million of dollars into the technology9. The Japanese
shipbuilding has invested millions of dollars in building technology that will guide 250 ships
through a shipping lane and it will also increase the Japan’s share in market of shipbuilding.
Leading shipbuilding companies are planning to develop the technology required for the cargo
vessels to remotely monitor by a captain and a crew from a control hub based on land. This
initiative is also known as Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Applications Initiative (AAWA).
This has brought university researchers, ship designers, and equipment manufacturers to
currently work and test on a technology in Finland. The various benefits of an autonomous
cargo ship are reduction in the total operational expenses, balancing the shortage of seafarers
which is expected in future, reduction in the cost of the fuel, reducing and subsequently
nullifying the human error risk and human associated accidents, elimination and reduction of the
harmful emission, minimization and reduction of the high maintenance parts including the parts
containing rotational components10.
Conclusion
From the above discussion it can be concluded that the autonomous vehicles will
available in the near future. Considering the fact, the technology is still in the nascent condition
and it will require another 10 years to develop fully and operate commercially. The technology is
promising considering that large number of developed nations have invested million of dollars
into the development of the technology. It is no doubt that the autonomous vessel will efficiently
9 Rødseth, Ørnulf Jan, and H-C. Burmeister. "Risk assessment for an unmanned merchant ship." TransNav:
International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea Transportation 9.3 (2015): 357-364.
10 Burmeister, Hans-Christoph, et al. "Autonomous unmanned merchant vessel and its contribution towards the e-
Navigation implementation: The MUNIN perspective." International Journal of e-Navigation and Maritime
Economy 1 (2014): 1-13.

6AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING OPERATION
nullify the human error and the associated accidents. However, there remains a bigger question
mark on the barriers imposed by the quality assurance, emergency provisions and the regulatory
challenges.

7AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING OPERATION
Reference
Burmeister, Hans-Christoph, et al. "Autonomous unmanned merchant vessel and its contribution
towards the e-Navigation implementation: The MUNIN perspective." International Journal of e-
Navigation and Maritime Economy 1 (2014): 1-13.
Komianos, Aristotelis. "The Autonomous Shipping Era. Operational, Regulatory, and Quality
Challenges." Int. J. Mar. Navig. Saf. Sea Transp.12.2 (2018).
Man, Yemao, et al. "From Desk to Field–Human Factor Issues in Remote Monitoring and
Controlling of Autonomous Unmanned Vessels." Procedia Manufacturing 3 (2015): 2674-2681.
Patterson, Mark CL, Anthony Mulligan, and Fernando Boiteux. "Safety and security applications
for micro-unmanned surface vessels." Oceans-San Diego, 2013. IEEE, 2013.
Porathe, Thomas. "Remote Monitoring and Control of Unmanned Vessels–The MUNIN Shore
Control Centre." Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Computer Applications
and Information Technology in the Maritime Industries (COMPIT ‘14). 2014.
Pritchett, Paul W. "Ghost ships: why the law should embrace unmanned vessel technology." Tul.
Mar. LJ 40 (2015): 197.
Rødseth, Ørnulf Jan, and H-C. Burmeister. "Risk assessment for an unmanned merchant
ship." TransNav: International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea
Transportation 9.3 (2015): 357-364.
Wróbel, Krzysztof, et al. "Towards the development of a risk model for unmanned vessels design
and operations." TransNav: International Journal on Marine Navigation and Safety of Sea
Transportation 10 (2016).

8AUTONOMOUS SHIPPING OPERATION
Wróbel, Krzysztof, Jakub Montewka, and Pentti Kujala. "Towards the assessment of potential
impact of unmanned vessels on maritime transportation safety." Reliability Engineering &
System Safety 165 (2017): 155-169.
Yemao, M., Monica Lundh, and Thomas Porathe. "Seeking harmony in shore‐based unmanned
ship handling‐from the perspective of human factors, what is the difference we need to focus on
from being onboard to onshore." Advances in Human Aspects of Transportation. Part I 231239
(2014).