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.

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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.