Autonomous Ships: How Cargo Will Travel In The Future

Retailers are already conquering the skies with drone deliveries and are now looking to the seas as the next delivery frontier.

With retailers launching drones to make deliveries, is it any wonder that Rolls-Royce is working on the concept of remote-controlled cargo ships? Designed to allow control of numerous ships from a central control point, these ships would mean a significant management shift in international shipments.

“This is happening. It’s not if, it’s when. The technologies needed to make remote and autonomous ships a reality exist,” said Oskar Levander, Vice President of Innovation, Engineering & Technology, at Rolls-Royce Marine.

Why Remote Controlled Cargo Ships?

Current shipping methods get the job done. However, there are risks inherent to having a crew to manage so many tasks manually. Along with potential damage to the ship and the subsequent loss of life, piracy is still a real threat in the 21st century.

Even with sophisticated communication equipment on board and resources that can guide a ship through a storm, maritime companies still incur significant risks that cost a great deal of money. Remote control processes could lessen some of those risks.

The Benefits

From a purely business standpoint, reducing operational costs alone would justify the idea of exploring the creation of remote-controlled cargo ships and barges. Think of the savings involved if a single ship can be piloted remotely, with no crew required.