Use of this technology could reduce the need for maneuvering or course deviations during close encounters with high-threat maritime targets.
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Shipping carries about 90% of global trade and accounts for about 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions. (Representative image) Reuters
The global commercial shipping industry could save 47 million tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year by introducing artificial intelligence to ocean navigation, according to a study by autonomous shipping startup Orca AI.
The technology could be used to provide real-time warnings to crew members and reduce the need to maneuver or change course during close encounters with high-risk marine targets, such as ships, buoys or marine mammals, according to the report.
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Why is this important?
Shipping carries about 90% of global trade and accounts for about 3% of global carbon dioxide emissions, a share that is expected to increase in the coming years unless stricter pollution control measures are implemented.
The International Maritime Organization aims to reduce emissions by 20 percent by 2030, but the ongoing Red Sea crisis threatens this target.
Important Quotes
“In the short term, it will optimize the voyage and reduce fuel and emissions by reducing the number of crew on the bridge, which will lighten the workload for bridge crew and allow them to focus on the complex tasks of navigation,” Orca AI CEO Yarden Gross told Reuters. “In the longer term, it will open the door to fully autonomous navigation.”
context
According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), global shipping emissions are estimated to reach 858 million tonnes of carbon dioxide in 2022, up slightly from the previous year. According to Orca AI's research, an average of 2,976 accidents at sea are reported per year.
By the numbers
The Orca AI report said reducing route deviations could save ships 38.2 million nautical miles sailed per year, saving an average of $100,000 in fuel costs per vessel. It also said AI could reduce close encounters on the high seas by 33 percent.
