Another small but important step forward has been taken in the world of autonomous ships. Hyundai’s subsidiary Avikus has announced for the first time that it has completed autonomous navigation of a large ship in the ocean.
The Prism Courage vessel, pictured, left Freeport in the Gulf of Mexico on May 1, and Avikus’ AI-powered HiNAS 2.0 system took the vessel to Boryeong LNG Terminal in Chungcheong Province in western South Korea. It is stated that half of the 19,884-kilometer journey is carried out fully autonomously. Using level 2 autonomous technology, the ship moved along the way, taking into account other ships, weather conditions and different wave heights.
Autonomous ships both work with less crew and cause less damage to the environment. Avikus announced that the fuel efficiency of the Prism Courage ship increased by 7 percent and emissions decreased by 5 percent, thanks to the optimal route planning of HiNAS.
While autonomous driving is real, we are still a long way from uncrewed ships. Halfway through the voyage, the ship was again steered by the captain, and much of the autonomous portion took place in the relatively safe open sea. Crowded routes and berthing – still requires manpower during departure.
Avikus says it plans to commercialize the HiNAS 2.0 system by the end of the year.
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