Page 29: of Marine News Magazine (June 2024)

28 30

Feature

Autonomous Vessels dvances in autonomous vessels – from R&D (IMO) is reviewing and evaluating AV operations, for sur- to regulatory policies to actual work – are face ships and for ports. So too is Transport Canada. In moving rapidly. AVs include a range of ves- the U.S., National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

A sel types and missions, from freight to law personnel have autonomous issues on their radar, across all enforcement to research to defense. There are many acro- transport modes. NTSB works with the U.S. Coast Guard nyms. Some examples – (USCG) on IMO’s AV policy efforts.

• AV stands for autonomous vessel.

• AUV is autonomous underwater vessel. Coast Guard Policy Letter • MASS stands for “maritime autonomous surface ship.” On April 30, the USCG updated Policy Letter 22-01, • NOMARS is a U.S. Department of Defense term which presents “Guidelines for Human-Supervised Test- for “no manning required ship.” ing of Remote Controlled and Autonomous Systems On

Vessels,” ? rst released in 2022 (the update adds reference

Different…but maybe not so different to using AVs for space? ight recovery).

Surface and underwater operations present rather obvi- In the letter, the Coast Guard notes that “arti? cial ous contrasts regarding changes and challenges that AVs intelligence and computer controls potentially provide can imply for ports and harbors. A research AUV launched the maritime industry with new and innovative tools to from a mothership in a remote area, for example, usually expand remote and autonomous systems beyond that doesn’t raise questions about harbor operations. permitted under current legal and regulatory struc-

In contrast, port and energy of? cials along the East Coast tures.” The letter presents an application pathway for will likely be pacing the ? oors when the ? rst trans-Atlantic USCG project review, starting with the Captain of the

MASS containership moves closer and closer during an At- Port, then moving up to the Marine Safety Center for lantic storm, working its way between new wind turbines. ? nal decisions.

With AVs, though, above water or below is just part of Since publishing the Policy Letter, the USCG said the story. There are common issues across AVs and appli- it has received just ? ve inquiries for port and harbor cations and missions. It’s important to keep in mind that AV projects. It added, though, that these projects were with AVs, autonomy itself is a separate subject, really the somewhat “hypothetical,” falling outside the scope of paramount subject, and it’s the developments in autono- the policy letter.

my that are the game changers. This extends beyond the electronic wizardry and algorithms that create “situational Making AVs work in the real world – awareness.” Autonomy can change everything about a the Yara Birkeland vessel – its shape, materials, design and propulsion. Au- Yara, based in Norway, is the world’s leading crop nutri- tonomy presents a chance to completely rethink maritime tion company. In 2017, Yara teamed up with Kongsberg, machines, uh, ships. the Norwegian engineering-technology company, to build

Again: new perspectives. Surface vs. submerged is vari- the world’s ? rst autonomous and zero-emission container able. That mothership notion is dated. An AUV can sail as vessel: the Yara Birkeland, a 120 TEU vessel to transport a MASS vessel. Consider an AUV launching itself from, fertilizer from Yara’s Porsgrunn plant, across a fjord, to a say, a site on the Patapsco River, south of Baltimore, head- port in Brevik, replacing 40,000 diesel truck loads per year. ing toward the Chesapeake Bay but not submerging until The ship was built by Vard.

it’s well past Virginia Beach. The joint venture led to a new company – Massterly, es-

A ? nal mission may be remote and underwater, but not tablished speci? cally to operate autonomous vessels (note the trip to work and back home. that the name builds on MASS “Maritime Autonomous

Maritime experts expect strong demand for AV opera- Surface Ships”).

tions. Issues and questions about risk, safety and oversight Yara Birkeland started operation in spring 2022. Full are at play now. The International Maritime Organization autonomy is planned for 2024. Then, operations will be www.marinelink.com MN 29|