K Line cargo carrier demonstrates autonomous navigation

The proof of concept stage of the autonomous navigation system was conducted on a 1,600-km round-trip route between Hitachi Port and Kushiro Port, a roro cargo ship service route.

K Line led the sea demonstration test for the retrofitted autonomous navigation system, which is being developed in the second stage of MEGURI 2040. 

MEGURI 2040, a project backed by the Nippon Foundation, began in 2020 and aims for full-scale commercialisation of fully autonomous ship technology by 2025. 

Project partners will design and demonstrate autonomous technologies aboard different vessel types and attempt to standardise these technologies into international standards.

K Line said its test confirmed recognition, analysis and decision making by the autonomous navigation system were “executed with a high degree of accuracy in coastal navigation.” 

In the experimental route, the autonomous navigation system was used to navigate while maintaining the normal crew navigation tasks, and in situations where avoidance was necessary, the autonomous navigation system proposed avoidance routes and controlled steering to safely avoid other vessels.

The company said the autonomous navigation system has achieved an average system operation rate of approximately 96% in the sea area set as operational design domain - areas where autonomous navigation systems operate normally. 

K Line hopes to utilise the data obtained from the sea demonstration tests to further enhance the autonomous systems, incorporating the line’s expertise in safe operations. It will continue to collaborate with Japan Radio Co, Ltd and YDK Technologies to further improve fully autonomous navigation technology with the aim of developing an automatic vessel speed control system in preparation for the MEGURI 2040 project’s sea demonstration test in 2025. 

K Line is also a participating member of the Designing the Future of Fully Autonomous Ships Plus consortium (DFFAS+).