Page 13: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 2015)

A ‘fully autonomous’ ship would sail without any operational of? cers or crew.

At-sea navigational decisions would be made by the Navigational & Management Computer, interfaced with all electronic navigational aids, with regular and comprehensive data reporting to the ship operator’s Control

Center. We can speculate that such a ship might sail from the offshore anchorage of its loading port to the offshore anchorage of its destination port, unmanned.

computer). What Will the Role of Satcoms Be? We can also speculate the need for ported by its own independent back-up

From the shipping company’s Control In order to facilitate the remote opera- bandwidth-hungry live feed from high power generators.

Center, a drone ship-? eet may be group tion of drone vessels, data from multiple de? nition cameras, providing 360 de- Today’s VSAT (Ku-Band or C-Band) controlled by quali? ed senior navigation sources on-board will need to be con- grees of visibility from the ship’s coning satellite communications currently pro- of? cers and Marine Electronic / Electri- stantly transmitted from the vessel to position, back to the Control Center. vide the most suitable means of deliv- cal / Mechanical Engineers. Control of the shipping company’s Control Center. Any satellite communication equip- ering the high levels of data needed to each vessel would be dependent on the These high volumes of data will require ment used to ful? ll these data trans- operate autonomous and drone vessels, constant ? ow of critical data fed from broadband-capable satcom equipment. mitting and receiving requirements using maritime broadband services via the vessel to the Control Center. As a minimum, the monitoring and will need to be capable of high data satellite, for a ? xed monthly cost, that

Maritime broadband communications control data would include engine man- throughput. For purposes of safety, two can be easily budgeted for. is considerably elevated in its operation- agement and control, rudder control, ra- or three identical systems may need to al importance, because of the volume dar scanning and avoidance, speed log, be installed, in order to provide the all- How Economical will it Be?

of data required to be constantly trans- gyro heading, echo sounder depth scan- too-important communication back-up As with all businesses, managing op- ferred. ning, GPS and dynamic positioning. needed, with each satcom system sup- erating costs is crucial to ensure pro? t- www.marinelink.com 13

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