Autonomous ship effort to receive government funds

Industry

Autonomous ship effort to receive government funds

Published: 30 Oct. 2019, 20:07

The government plans to invest over 160 billion won ($136.9 million) over the next six years to develop vessels that will be able to navigate the seas on their own.

According to the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries on Wednesday, the government will begin researching technologies necessary to achieve the goal, such as an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered navigation and autonomous engine systems.

The AI system would allow the vessel make decisions on its own, preventing accidents, while the engine system would allow the ship to monitor its performance and predict potential problems.

The end goal would be developing a level three autonomous vessel, which requires minimal human intervention for operation. It would fall short of a level four vessel, which would be completely self-operating.

The government will establish a testing center in the port city of Ulsan. The ministry expects the technology will reducing operating costs by up to 22 percent.

By Chae Yun-hwan