Unmanned ships

Some time ago I reflected on this type of ships, especially for short journeys where communications between the ship and the ground control station are more reliable.

But tests are still being carried out to achieve greater distances that could reach thousands of miles away.
In particular I found curious the experiment of an autonomous ship that has taken an oyster box from England to Ostend (Belgium), crossing the English Channel.

It was about proving that one ship could navigate autonomously through heavily traveled waters, such as the La Mancha channel, and transport materials from one point to another very distant.

The test was done with a 12-meter boat (see photo) equipped with all kinds of communication and object detection systems, and also equipped with electric motors. The oyster box was just a symbolic gift for friends on the other side of the canal.

Being able to make an unmanned boat has the advantage of saving the cost of said crew, and the space it occupies. The entire space of the ship could be dedicated to cargo and propulsion systems.

It has the disadvantage that it needs to be in continuous communication with the ground station that controls it, and that such communications may fail. Everything fails sometime, and when the failure occurs the boat is practically out of control.

On the other hand, incidents occur in the sea. Surely sooner or later they will occur, and when that happens it would be great to have a professional on board to solve it. A ship is very expensive and the cargo it carries is too.

I have no doubt that automations will sooner or later take over in the operation of ships (such as cars, trucks, etc …), and that will require less staff to handle them. But common sense advises keeping a minimum of qualified personnel to solve the problems that arise. Because surely they will arise.

Meanwhile, welcome to automate experiments. They will always serve to improve the operability and safety of ships.