Unmanned ships are coming – but they could cost the cargo industry dearly
September 4, 2017 by Christian Matthews, The Conversation
The Yara Birkeland isn't an ordinary cargo ship. If all goes well then the vessel, currently being built for a Norwegian agricultural fertiliser company, will become the world's first fully autonomous cargo ship when it launches in 2020.
Current international shipping law states that ocean-going vessels must be properly crewed, so fully autonomous, unmanned ships aren't allowed in international waters. As such, the Yara Birkeland will have to operate close to the Norweigan coast at all times, carrying out regular short journeys between three ports in the south of the country.
Read more at:
https://phys.org/news/2017-09-unmanned-ships-cargo-industry-dearly.html#jCp
