Japan is hoping to develop automated ships but, under the "i-shipping for a revolution in productivity" project, its aims fall short of achieving fully unmanned vessels.
Shinichiro Otsubo, director of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Tourism and Transport (MLIT), says the government’s view is that some level of manning must always be maintained.
Otsubo believes it is essential to develop a level of automation for each of the dozens of different tasks required to operate a vessel.
