A\u00a0radical\u00a0MASS\u00a0transformation\u00a0\u00a0
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Editor\u2019s Note: <\/strong>This article appeared in the September 2025<\/a> issue of Marine Log magazine. <\/em><\/p>\n The rapid development of\u00a0Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS)\u00a0is\u00a0radically transforming\u00a0the global maritime environment\u00a0and\u00a0impacting\u00a0the viability of\u00a0virtually every\u00a0function\u00a0aboard ship\u00a0from communications and navigation to speed\u00a0and\u00a0collision\u00a0avoidance.\u00a0<\/p>\n Fully autonomous ships\u00a0utilize\u00a0technological processes to control navigation,\u00a0propulsion,\u00a0and other critical\u00a0functions without the need for human input, while automated ship systems may simply collect data about the ship\u2019s surroundings and help\u00a0the\u00a0human crew make decisions.\u00a0<\/p>\n In October 2021, the world\u2019s first 1,000-plus-nautical-mile autonomous and remotely commanded\u00a0voyage\u00a0of a commercial vessel at sea\u00a0was successfully completed. The voyage of the\u00a0Nellie Bly<\/em>covered\u00a01,027 miles\u00a0with 97%\u00a0of that distance\u00a0accomplished\u00a0under fully autonomous control\u00a0utilizing\u00a0an\u00a0AI-enabled\u00a0SM300 autonomous vessel\u00a0system\u00a0developed by Sea Machines Robotics.\u00a0<\/p>\n Some 31 collision-avoidance and traffic separation maneuvers were carried out during\u00a0the 13-day voyage\u2014dubbed The Machine Odyssey\u2014which\u00a0began and ended in Hamburg, Germany,\u00a0and was completed in 129 operational hours spread over\u00a013 days, while being constantly monitored by licensed\u00a0mariners in Boston, some\u00a03,000 miles\u00a0away.\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The following June,\u00a0the LNG carrier\u202fPrism Courage<\/em>\u202farrived in South Korea after completing a\u00a033 day, 12,500-mile transit from Freeport, Texas, using autonomous navigation, the first ever use of such technology.\u00a0<\/p>\n The transoceanic voyage was overseen by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and the Korea Register of Shipping (KR) and involved the use of navigation technology developed by HD Hyundai subsidiary\u00a0Avikus, for\u00a0roughly half\u00a0the voyage.\u00a0<\/p>\n The National Oceanic\u00a0and\u00a0Atmospheric Administration\u00a0(NOAA)\u00a0currently\u00a0operates\u00a0the world\u2019s second-largest government research fleet including a\u00a0growing\u00a0fleet of uncrewed systems that support the agency\u2019s core missions of nautical charting, fisheries research, oceanography, and deep-sea exploration along the nation\u2019s entire coastline.\u00a0The\u00a0agency\u00a0has taken a proactive stance toward weaving autonomous technologies into its operations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Such uncrewed systems, \u201cserve as force multipliers for NOAA, enhancing traditional data collection methods and allowing us to collect data in regions that are tough to reach or not often explored,\u201d says Lisa Nakamura, acting director of\u00a0NOAA\u2019s\u00a0Uncrewed Systems Operations Center, adding that\u00a0the agency utilizes\u00a0uncrewed systems\u00a0\u201cto boost the productivity, safety, and longevity of our research efforts.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n For example,\u00a0the agency\u00a0maintains\u00a0a fleet of five\u00a0autonomous \u2018hurricane\u2019 drone craft that\u00a0are deployed\u00a0in the Atlantic Ocean during hurricane season, gathering data around the clock to help understand the physical processes of hurricanes and improve storm forecasting.\u00a0<\/p>\n The craft\u2014Explorer SD\u00a01045s\u2014are the result of a partnership between NOAA and Alameda,\u00a0Calif.-based\u00a0designer-developer\u00a0Saildrone.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n In\u00a0September 2021, in a first-ever operation, one of the\u00a0craft\u00a0was directed into the midst of Hurricane Sam, a category 4 hurricane. Battling\u00a050-foot\u00a0waves and winds of over 120\u00a0mph\u00a0it\u00a0successfully\u00a0collected\u00a0and transmitted\u00a0critical scientific data\u00a0and real-time video observations\u00a0back to\u00a0NOAA research laboratories.\u202f\u00a0<\/p>\n Additionally, the U.S. Coast Guard is\u00a0moving forward\u00a0with plans to\u00a0meld\u00a0MASS technology into its operational strategies with the recent creation of a new Robotics and Autonomous Systems Program Executive Office.\u00a0<\/p>\n The office will serve as \u201ca key component\u201d of the Service\u2019s Force Design 2028 plan, and \u201cis poised to be the most transformational enhancement to capability since the inception of aviation\u201d\u00a0with the core mission\u00a0of \u201caccelerating\u00a0the development, acquisition, fielding and sustainment of robotics and autonomous system capabilities across the Coast Guard,\u201d\u00a0according to Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington,\u00a0D.C.\u00a0<\/p>\n As\u00a0MASS technologies\u00a0evolve,\u00a0its\u00a0breakneck\u00a0development\u00a0is\u00a0being\u00a0decelerated\u00a0somewhat by\u00a0the need for\u00a0more finely defined\u00a0regulatory\u00a0and operational\u00a0parameters.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cSafety assurance of autonomous technologies in diverse and dynamic maritime environments remains the foremost challenge,\u201d says Michael Kei,\u00a0vice president, technology\u00a0at the American Bureau of Shipping.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n The key concerns, he says, \u201cinclude sensor performance and reliability in adverse weather conditions, cybersecurity resilience, and effective interactions between human and autonomous systems.The regulatory environment for\u00a0operating\u00a0uncrewed systems, says NOAA\u2019s Nakamura, \u201cis still in development, which can make operationalizing systems challenging in a changing landscape.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n While DNV,\u00a0the classification society,\u00a0has\u00a0compiled\u00a0its new Autonomous and Remotely Operated Ships\u00a0notations\u00a0to\u00a0establish\u00a0a framework for how auto-remote vessels can achieve equivalent or higher safety compared to conventional vessels, the\u00a0International Maritime Organization\u00a0(IMO)\u00a0is currently developing a regulatory framework for autonomous ships in commercial operation in international waters.\u00a0<\/p>\n Designed to address\u00a0cross-cutting issues such as safety, training, and legal liabilities, the framework\u00a0is generally expected to be adopted by member countries on a non-mandatory basis\u00a0by the end of this year\u00a0and\u00a0be put in force\u00a0on a mandatory basis for member countries in 2032 by amending an existing IMO convention.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n As a starting point,\u00a0the organization has issued recommendations as to what vessels are best suited to fully-autonomous operation, specifically\u00a0proposing\u00a0that\u00a0AI-generated operational autonomous technology\u00a0be utilized\u00a0in the design of\u00a0research vessels\u00a0used to\u00a0collect weather and other\u00a0scientific\u00a0data;\u00a0specialized vessels designed for\u00a0disaster response\u00a0such as monitoring oil spills\u00a0or extinguishing\u00a0shipboard fires; small to medium-sized cargo carriers\u00a0involved in transiting\u00a0rivers or inland waterways;\u00a0and short distance passenger\u00a0ferries\u00a0used on\u00a0inland, river, or coastal routes.\u00a0<\/p>\n In a final\u00a0note,\u00a0the IMO has said that all autonomous ships \u201cshould have a human in control either onboard or in a remote location, or who can take control when necessary.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The post A\u00a0radical\u00a0MASS\u00a0transformation\u00a0\u00a0<\/a> appeared first on Marine Log<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n