NYK has conducted the world’s first Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) trial performed in accordance with the IMO’s Interim Guidelines for MASS trials as the company begins tests to realise its target of manned autonomous ships for safer operations and a reduction in crew workload.
About the MASS trial
Iris Leader, a large NYK-operated PCTC having a gross tonnage of 70,826 tons, was navigated day and night using the Sherpa System for Real ship (SSR) navigation system during September 14 to 17, 2019 from Xinsha, China, to the port of Nagoya, Japan, and then from the port of Nagoya to the port of Yokohama, Japan, from September 19 to 20. Crew performed typical duties during the navigation, which included Japan’s coastal area but excluded bays.
During the trial, the SSR’s performance in actual sea conditions was monitored as it collected information on environmental conditions around the ship from existing navigational devices, calculated collision risk, automatically determined optimal routes and speeds that were safe and economical, and then automatically navigated the ship. Using data and experience gained through this trial but not obtainable through onshore simulators, NYK was able to ensure the feasibility of the SSR and its benefit for safe and optimal operations. This trial was a big step toward realising NYK’s goal of manned autonomous ships, said a release.
NYK will analyse the data and continue to develop the SSR into a more advanced navigation-support system by making adjustments to the difference between the optimal course derived by the programme and that determined by professional human judgment.
The SSR verified by this trial will also be applied to future coastal ships, which currently face serious crew shortages. The SSR can become a basic technology for remote and unmanned navigation, contributing to social issues through business that embodies NYK’s “Bringing value to life” mission.
The NYK Group will accelerate its digitalisation efforts based on the company’s medium-term management plan “Staying Ahead 2022 with Digitalisation and Green”, and will conduct development and demonstration tests of advanced operational support technologies to realise manned autonomous ships, the release added.
