Britain’s maritime industry is on the verge of a
technological revolution that could make shipping
faster, safer and more environmentally friendly, the
Transport Secretary said today.
outlines his
vision for the UK to be at the forefront of a maritime
technology revolution which is expected to result in
the growing use of autonomous vessels.
The Transport Secretary’s comments come after the
addition of the first semi-autonomous vessel to the UK
Ship Register at the end of last year, marking the
start of a potential revolution in the maritime
industry.
And the potential advances tie in with the ambition set
out in the government’s
Industrial Strategy to put the UK at the
forefront of the industries of the future.
joined
representatives from across the maritime industry today
at the Smart Shipping Event in the UK, to discuss
advances in the industry.
Autonomous vessels are just one example of exciting
developments which could deliver huge benefits to the
maritime industry. Other examples include:
- augmented reality, which could be used to train new
seafaring cadets and familiarise them with vessels
before they have even left the shore, improving safety
- artificial intelligence, which could plot more
efficient routes, avoid severe weather, highlight
disruption at ports and diagnose mechanical problems
- a rise in the number of electric and hybrid
vessels, cutting down on the level of carbon emissions
in the industry, and the development of low or zero
emission fuels
- magnetic berthing, making the mooring process safer
and more efficient
The Transport Secretary said:
Autonomous shipping is just one aspect of a maritime
technology revolution which has the potential to
radically transform the industry, making it safer,
cleaner and faster than ever.
As a country with a proud maritime history, the UK is
absolutely determined to be at the forefront of this
exciting time of change in the industry.
We are already working with the International
Maritime Organization to pave the way for
this new era of shipping and we want to work closely
with the industry to ensure we are doing everything
possible to allow this new technology to thrive.
An industry-led code of practice
for autonomous vessels was published in
November of last year by Maritime UK, the same month in
which the C-Worker 7 became the first semi-autonomous
vessel to join the UK Ship Register.
As with incidents on the road, the majority of
casualties at sea are estimated to be caused by human
error. The use of new technology which can help
seafarers and the emergence of autonomous shipping has
the potential to improve safety at sea.
And autonomous shipping could see a change in how
freight is transported around the country, with coastal
shipping replacing some heavy goods vehicles, taking
them off the roads and reducing congestion.
Equally, the potential radical redesigns of vessels
which technology could allow, and prospect of more
hybrid and electric vessels coming into use, could
significantly reduce carbon emissions.
The Transport Secretary’s words follow the announcement
of plans for the Maritime 2050 project earlier this
month.
The event in London will also be hosted by Shipping
Minister and bring together
attendees with a wealth of maritime expertise to assess
how best to maximise the benefits of technology for
shipping.
Small and medium-sized enterprises, ship owners, port
operators, trade bodies, lawyers and academia will
discuss what they see as the opportunities and
challenges involved.
