Japanese group to trial autonomous ship navigation

Phase two of the MEGURI 2040 project will focus on demonstrating remote ship-shore operations using four different vessel types including a newbuild container ship equipped with a fully autonomous operation system, an existing container ship, roro vessel, a ship serving remote islands equipped for partial autonomous operations, and two fleet operation centres.

“Following the successful completion of the DFFAS project, we continue to develop autonomous navigational capabilities on the journey towards full autonomy,” said MTI director Hideyuki Ando.

“Orca AI’s advanced AI and computer vision technology have already proven to be key enablers of the safety of autonomous navigation, and we look forward to leveraging this cutting-edge technology in the DFFAS+ project.”

During the 2022 trial, Suzaku achieved 40 hours of navigation with complete autonomy, or about 98% of the voyage between Tokyo Bay and the port of Tsumatsusaka in Ise Bay.

Data from the integrated display was live-streamed to the fleet operations centre in Tokyo, with the ship performing 107 collision avoidance manoeuvres and avoiding up to 500 other vessels during the voyage.

“The DFFAS is an important milestone on the way to making autonomous shipping a reality,” said Orca AI chief executive and co-founder Yarden Gross.

“We are excited to be part of phase two of the project. MTI and Orca AI’s shared approach of collaborative innovation, out-of-the-box thinking and a ‘nothing is impossible’ mindset are the basis of this strong partnership. This collaboration will bring us closer to a future of fully autonomous navigation,” he said.

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