Shifting cargo to sea with Autonomous Transport Systems

Shifting cargo to sea with Autonomous Transport Systems "SATS" We have focused on: 1. Identify the functional requirements for autonomous ships as parts of supply chains and define the KPI's. 2. Developed alternative design concepts including both the automation & digitalization and the basic ship itself, i.e. size, hull form and cargo handling 3. Develop and use novel optimization models and methods based on mathematical modeling to assess alternative options size, i.e. size and concepts (point 2). Including environmental uncertainty, which the transportation systems are exposed to, i.e. such as sea conditions and weather, SATS will combine these optimization models and methods with simulation models SATS is one of the projects, which contributes to the vision of making the Norwegian maritime cluster the world leading in environmentally friendly shipping by 2025.

The SATS project has contributed to the development of autonomous technologies as a mean to revitalize coastal and short sea shipping. We have: 1.Identified the functional requirements for autonomous ships as parts of supply chains and define the KPI's. 2. Investigate alternative design concepts including both the automation & digitalization and the basic ship itself, i.e. size, hull form and cargo handling 3.Developed and used novel optimization models and methods based on mathematical modeling to assess alternative options size, i.e. size and concepts (point 2). Including environmental uncertainty, which the transportation systems are exposed to, i.e. such as sea conditions and weather, 4. SATS has combined these optimization models and methods with simulation models (Nguyen et al., 2014; Fischer et al., 2016; Halvorsen-Weare and Fagerholt, 2011).

SATS asks in which segments of shipping autonomous vessels can be a contributing factor to enhance the competitiveness of maritime shipping, especially for environmentally friendly shipping and for maritime as a transport mode reducing the transport sectors total greenhouse gas emissions. SATS is emphasizing real world operations: weather, speeds, service delivery, as well as economics, market conditions and regulatory context. Autonomous thus may have its first chances where personnel costs are important (small vessels, short sea, rich countries), where maritime can gain ground despite and because of environmental ambitions (North Sea, Europe) and where shipping competence is clustered for the whole supply chain, welcoming business opportunities across the board: engineering, construction, vessel ownership, freight and other operations (Norway).