Autonomous shipping is in action

The first Russian autonomous ferries, Marshal Rokossovsky and General Chernyakhovsky, have passed over 150,000 nautical miles since being equipped with autonomous navigation systems, the press service of FSUE Rosmorport reports. The ferries Marshal Rokossovsky and General Chernyakhovsky, operating on the Seaport of Ust-Luga – Seaport of Kaliningrad line, have transported about 1,343 thousand tons of cargo, 1,237 passengers, and sailed more than 150 thousand nautical miles since being equipped with autonomous navigation systems. The equipment for operation in autonomous mode was installed on board of the ferries on June 30, 2023. In September 2023, Marshal Rokossovsky and General Chernyakhovsky ferries received certificates of marine autonomous and remotely operated surface vessels (MANS) for the first time in Russia. A Remote Control Center (RCC) has been established in St. Petersburg to ensure the autonomous control of vessels. Currently, autonomous navigation systems on the ferries have been put into trial operation and continue to be used to provide remote control for each passage of the ferries operating regular scheduled services. The vessel is operated by an external captain from the RCC with a crew on board, whose presence is necessary for securing in case of an emergency. The Seafarers' Union of Russia believes that the maritime industry is moving towards automation шт a sweeping way. Autonomous shipping is rapidly gathering pace, and such vessels will become more and more numerous over time, and the workers who operate them will gradually move from the vessel to the shore, and we need to prepare for this in advance. 

Source: rosmorport.ru; photo – miit.ru