[imagesource: The Nippon Foundation]

The autonomous vehicle concept is now seeping into the shipping world.

In fact, the world’s first commercial autonomous voyage has been completed with success along the coast of Japan.

Powered by smart maritime navigation software company Orca’s AI (artificial intelligence), the ship, Suzaku, made the journey to materialise the ultimate autonomous shipping vision.

Cruising from Tokyo Bay toward the port of Tsumatsusaka in Ise Bay – one of the busiest shipping routes in the world – Suzaku made the impressive 790-kilometre trial voyage.

Per Auto Revolution, the journey was conducted by NYK Line (Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha) in collaboration with a consortium of 30 Japanese companies:

Using Orca AI’s safety navigation system, the cargo ship successfully managed to avoid collision with around 500 ships, with 107 maneuvers being performed on the returning voyage alone.

Orca AI used 18 onboard cameras that provide 360-degree views of the surroundings both during daytime and nighttime. The intelligent software also offered real-time detection, tracking, classification, and range estimation.

Nippon Foundation Chairman Yohei Sasakawa explained why autonomous shipping will be crucial for Japan’s future economy, via New Atlas:

“The achievement of fully autonomous navigation is one way to address issues including a decrease in economic activity associated with an aging population and declining birthrate, insufficient crew capacity, and maritime accidents,” said Sasakawa.

The companies are hoping to get autonomous ships into global commercial use pretty soon, with the Nippon Foundation targeting 2025 as a launch date.

Shipping journeys can be quite hazardous, so having more autonomous vessels doing the hard work can make the industry safer, cheaper, and more efficient.

Until then, stick to shipping companies that you can trust, like South Africa’s largest private-owned logistics company, Berry & Donaldson.

They’ll handle everything from airlines, shipping companies, customs-related processes, and more, to score you the best price possible while you focus on the business side of things.

At least putting your logistical planning into the right hands is a step closer to going fully autonomous.

[sources:newatlas&autorevolution]