AUTONOMOUS VESSEL CROSSES PACIFIC OCEAN

[Anchor Lead]

A Korean vessel succeeded for the first time in crossing the Pacific Ocean using the autonomous operation technology. This technology has several merits, such as finding the best course on its own and reducing environmental pollution. Korea showcased its technological capability as a number of marine powerhouses vie to seize the market.

[Pkg]

A super LNG tanker completes its 33-day voyage. This is a vessel equipped with homegrown artificial intelligence technologies. This ship was operated autonomously for about half of its sailing course. The AI technology assessed the weather, wave heights, and ship locations to find the optimal course and speed and issued steering orders accordingly. The crew members were on standby in case of emergencies. The ship self-sailed about 10,000 kilometers out of the 20,000-kilometer route from the Gulf of Mexico in the United States to Boryeong in Korea’s Chungcheongnam-do Province. This was the world’s first autonomous ship to cross an ocean.

[Soundbite] Kim Dae-hyuk(Navigation Control Research Team, Hyundai Avikus Co.) : "This ocean-crossing experience by autonomous navigation is meaningful in that it succeeded in finding the optimal course and operating the ship."

Autonomous sailing is expected to address a shortage of sailors and reduce marine accidents by more than 70%. In fact, this carrier was able to avoid roughly one hundred collisions during the voyage by identifying the locations of other vessels. As the vessel found the optimal route, it was able to boost the fuel efficiency by 7% and cut its greenhouse gas emission by 5%. Experts note that this industry needs full support since countries around the globe are competing to seize the market.

[Soundbite] Prof. Kim Se-won(School of Intelligent Mechatronics Engineering, Sejong Univ.) : "The law stipulates that sailors must be on board. This regulation should be loosened temporarily or an autonomous sailing promotion law legislated."

The global autonomous ship market is expected to grow at a rate of more than 10% annually and surpass 280 trillion won in six years.