Market Trends of Autonomous Ships Industry
The Commercial Segment of the Market is Anticipated to Register the Highest Growth During the Forecast Period
The development of new autonomous naval vessels with the advancement of technologies and the incorporation of sensor systems in commercial vessels, like cargo vehicles, passenger ferries, and other platforms, is anticipated to propel the growth of autonomy in the commercial segment. Integration of autonomy is a costly and slow process, especially in the maritime industry, as the adoption rate of new technologies is relatively slower compared to other transportation systems. Therefore, commercial operators are starting with remote-controlled vessels and making long-term plans to replace traditional ships with autonomous ships.
Some of the liner shipping companies, like Maersk, CMA CGM, and Hapag-Lloyd, and cruise operators established remote operating centers (ROCs) for their fleets for several years. These help in monitoring the data on the bridge and assist the crew on board in operating the vessel. Some of the companies are collaborating with technology providers and accelerating the development of new autonomous ships.
In September 2022, DNV (Norway) signed an MOU with Hyundai Heavy Industries Co., Ltd., Avikus, and Liberian International Ship & Corporate Registry (LISCR). It includes a joint study to deploy autonomous navigation systems on board ships to increase technology uptake by the industry and flag states. The Hyundai Intelligent Navigation Assistant System (HiNAS 2.0) is an AI-based navigation solution that covers all steps of a voyage, from detection to situation analysis, planning, and control. The system assists in safe navigation by displaying AR (augmented reality) images of detected ships and navigation information.
Similarly, in August 2023, DeepOcean (Norway) entered a long-term agreement for a new-built unmanned surface vessel (USV) for use in subsea inspection, maintenance, and repair (IMR) and survey support for offshore oil and gas and renewable energy. Despite being remotely controlled from shore, the USV will include various autonomous features to ensure the safety and integrity of the spread. It can also perform in severe weather conditions.
Europe is Expected to Generate the Highest Demand During the Forecast Period
The increasing investments and initiatives from the European governments and companies into autonomous ships are majorly driving the growth of the market. One Sea - Autonomous Maritime Ecosystem is the major European collaboration by ABB, Ericsson, Cargotec (MacGregor and Kalmar), Meyer Turku, Rolls-Royce plc, Tieto, and Wärtsilä Corporation. It began in 2016 to enable commercial autonomous maritime traffic by 2025. Similarly, Finnish-based companies are working on a research project called Ecosystem for Autonomous Ships. It is a collaborative platform that aims to introduce the world's first autonomous marine transport system by 2025.
In addition to this, the companies are supporting government initiatives to introduce autonomous capability into naval vessels. For instance, DNV GL, a Norway-based company, is involved in many projects on autonomous ships. One such project is the Norwegian Forum for Autonomous Ships (NFAS), which the Norwegian Government supports. Furthermore, the UK-Norwegian collaborative project called Safe Implementation of Autonomous and Remote Operation of Ships (SIMAROS) plans to develop a fully autonomous offshore vessel, Hrönn. Therefore, such plans to develop and induct autonomous ships may aid the rapid growth of the autonomous ships market in Europe during the forecast period.
