A self-piloted shipdesigned to recreatethe Mayflower’s journey across the Atlantic 400 years ago has crossed the ocean.
No Crew, No Fuss
The Mayflower isn’t the only autonomous ship making news.
Anautonomous commercial cargo shiprecently completed a 500-mile voyage in the busy water of Tokyo Bay.
IBM
The 750-gross-ton vessel was powered by Orca AI, whose software helped the ship avoid hundreds of collisions autonomously.
About 500 ships pass through Tokyo Bay each day.
A slower route may provide more time for the unloading of ships at ports and thus reduce idle time.
Westend61 / Getty Images
More ominously, aChinese company has testedan AI-powered uncrewed ship that could be used for military purposes.
The US Navy is also testing experimental crewless surface vessels.
The AI-guided ships are heading to Hawaii this summer for exercises.
Commercial autonomous ships could help compensate for a growing crew member shortage.
The shipping industry faces an expected shortfall of about150,000 seagoing officers by 2025.
Self-guided ships could also prove to be greener.
