Develops Autonomous Navigation Technology
Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) said on Oct. 19 that it has successfully demonstrated remote-controlled ship operations using the Samsung Autonomous Ship (SAS), an autonomous navigation system of its own development.
The demonstration took place at sea off SHI' shipyard in Geoje, South Gyeongsang Province, on Oct. 14. SHI officials controlled a 38-meter-long 300-ton tugboat "Samsung T-8" from the company’s Land Control Center in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon. Although Geoje and Daedeok are about 250 kilometers apart, the officials operated the ship in real time through LTE and 5G mobile services. The demonstration combined collision avoidance, autopilot, and remote control technologies.
During the demonstration, the Samsung T-8 sailed safely around its destination about 10 kilometers away without a crew intervention, and avoided ships and obstacles within a one-kilometer radius during the voyage. The SAS uses information collected from the ship's radar and a GPS to find an optimal avoidance route and automatically controls propulsion and steering systems. Officials from DNV GL, an international accredited registrar and classification society headquartered in Norway, attended the event to witness the functions of the SAS in person.
"We are planning to commercialize a more advanced SAS system in 2022 that is combined with artificial intelligence (AI) and high-speed communication technology," said Shim Yong-rae, head of SHI's Shipbuilding And Marine Research Institute.