Will Autonomous Ships Make the Seas Safer or Riskier?

[Acheron2010]

I'm just imagining the Somali pirate boarding one of these with his rusty AK and entering the bridge, he just sees Hal.

 

[cappy208]

Hal.

'Hal'liburton remotely operated Gatling guns.! Makes me wonder why we are not allowed to carry while aboard on commercial vessels.

 

[markpierce]

Will they have robots to do repairs while at sea? No doubt there will be a need for humans aboard to keep the ship in repair. The concept of operating a ship without humans is ridiculous.

 

[cappy208]

From the trade publications it appears the powers that be feel double or triple redundancy is enough with repairs and maintenance being done on either end of a trip by shoreside maintenance crews.

One thing I have learned in a 35 year career on commercial vessels: Whenever 'new fangled' electronically controlled gizmos show up they go on the fritz after a year or so. Something about salt air, and electronics doesn't seem to agree!!!! Go figure.

 

[SaltyDawg86]

Like what happens now sometimes....

Drones are here to stay, pilots have to get used to it and like always the surface fleet will follow in 50 years or so.

That doesn't happen now because they're manned.... Drones aren't the same thing, nice try.

 

[cappy208]

From a different perspective, how are these ships going to be assisted/salvaged in times of peril? I get it, tech is coming but just wonder how insurance underwriters are going to treat risk on these ships. are they completely unmanned (I know nothing about them) or is there going to be a core crew aboard. How will salvors assist these ships when in distress?
It seems to me that a whole new chapter in maritime operations will evolve over the next couple of decades ( as it always does) faster than previous years.

Simple. The(odore) Tugboat will attach 'Towing Magnets' to the pointy end and away they will tow/go.

 

[cappy208]

. I'm all for automation and technology, I'm just not sure what's to be gained here.

A 12% reduction in wages.

And 25% reduction in crew supply costs.

Those damned overpaid seamen who spend months away from home. Expecting to be fed....... damned them to hell. (Said the bean counters)

 

[psneeld]

Some drones are autonomous....and all the expensive ones are if the up/downlink fails.

Yep....ships now break and cant be fixed enroute...and and have plenty of human error mishaps. Manned anything gas a pretty high expense added to it...why more and more robotic , kiosk everythings are growing fast.

Whether autonomous completely, monitored, or partially controlled drones are here to stay .....cars, trucks and ships in the future.