Technology company Seafar in Antwerp is testing the first unmanned shipping vessel in Europe. Seafar is an independent ship management company that develops innovative services for ship operators. Flanders is one of the only regions in the world to allow ships to sail unmanned.
The captains of the ship are in control of the vessel from the Seafar Shore Control Center, working with the latest technologies and artificial intelligence.
Smarter sailing
Autonomous navigation allows vessels to be controlled remotely. The company uses its own artificial intelligence algorithm to predict future behaviour and avoid unsafe situations.
The company uses environmental sensors including radar and LiDAR to produce obstacle identification and classification data. Collecting this data teaches the ship to learn from its environment and modify its behaviour.
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Last month, the Flemish government extended the five-year pilot program another five years. Seafar already has 15 unmanned ships; another 15 will be added by the end of the year.
The company hopes that by using new technology the shipping industry can continue to improve the efficiency of operations and reduce pollution.
