A 15,000-TEU Evergreen container ship has completed a trans-Pacific demonstration of an AI-based autonomous navigation system Samsung Heavy Industries, covering approximately 10,000 km.
The Samsung Autonomous Ship (SAS) system was tested on the vessel’s voyage from Oakland, USA to Kaohsiung, Taiwan between 25 August and 6 September. The technology analysed weather and route conditions every three hours, carrying out 104 guidance operations and 224 automated control actions without crew intervention.
Samsung says SAS also allowed the ship to optimise fuel use while still ensuring on-time arrival.
Developed in 2019, the system integrates radar, GPS, AIS and camera data with AI monitoring to provide situational awareness, as well as automatic engine and rudder control for collision avoidance.
The technology has since been upgraded from a collision-avoidance tool to support speed and route optimisation for optimised navigation.
“SAS has evolved from an autonomous navigation assistance system for collision avoidance to a system that can maintain economical speed and arrive on time on its own,” said Lee Dong Yeon, Vice President and Director of Samsung Heavy Industries’ Shipbuilding and Marine Research Institute.
“It will contribute to the global shipping logistics industry as an eco-friendly means of reducing fuel consumption.”
Samsung says it will continue joint research with Evergreen to further improve fuel efficiency and navigation accuracy using the new technology.
Source: Smart Maritime Network
