Page 16: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (December 2018)

Deciphering the

Autonomous Vessel Debate

AUTONOMOUS VESSELS

Image: Kongsberg

Confusion reigns in the ongoing debate lished in October of 2018, focuses on that the application of such novel con- tonomous Shipping by acknowledging on autonomous and remotely operated the potential social and practical con- cepts and technologies result in a safety that all means of transportation are under- vessels. Before constructive dialogs can sequences of autonomous shipping and level equivalent to – or better than – con- going accelerated development toward au- take place, the parameters of the discus- digitalization on seafarers. ventional vessel operations. tomation and automated movements. One sion need to be agreed upon. Bottom line: The second is a DNV GL Class guideline From Marine Insurance and Loss Con- key issue the ICS Study addressed is the in order to understand each other, we — DNVGL-CG-0264. Edition September trol standpoints both of these publica- need to understand that “autonomy” is not need to be speaking the same language. 2018; Autonomous and remotely operated tions provide important guidance and necessarily “unmanned”; however we will

There are two recent publications that ships, which provides guidance for: raise valuable points of discussion. They see more autonomous operations aboard

I strongly advise all maritime profes- 1) Safe implementation of novel technolo- provide different viewpoints of how to a ship. A key to understanding this is to sionals review, as they offer valuable gies in the application of autonomous and/ evaluate and address these new technol- review the Lloyds Register “ShipRight” guidance and insight into this rapidly de- or remotely controlled vessel functions; ogies into existing operations, and more Procedure guidance, particularly the six veloping segment of the Marine Trans- 2) Recommended work process to ob- importantly how to interface with the Autonomy Levels (AL 1 to AL 6). In brief, portation Industry. tain approval of novel concepts chal- current tasks, duties and responsibilities these range from AL 1 with “On-board

The ? rst is a study prepared by HSBA lenging existing statutory regulations of current shipboard crews. Decision Support with all actions taken by

Hamburg School of Business Adminis- and/or classi? cation rules. The DNV GL Guideline addresses the human operator, but decision support toll tration for the International Chamber of The overall intention of the DNV pa- Build and Integrate Phase, while the ICS can present options.” To AL 6 with “Fully

Shipping. The paper, which was pub- per is to provide a framework to ensure Study addresses the current status of Au- autonomous with unsupervised opera- 16 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • DECEMBER 2018

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