Tesla Comes to the Sea... The 'Autonomous Ship' Era Opened by Hyundai

Autonomous Navigation of 10,000km from US Southern Gulf of Mexico to Pacific Ocean

Optimal Route Generation... 7% Fuel and 5% Greenhouse Gas Reduction

The 180,000 cubic meter (㎥) class liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier "Prism Courage," built by Hyundai Heavy Industries last year and delivered to SK Shipping. (Photo by Hyundai Heavy Industries)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The era of autonomous ships has arrived. Hyundai's 'autonomous ship' has succeeded in crossing the ocean for the first time in the world.

HD Hyundai, the holding company of Hyundai Heavy Industries Group, announced on the 2nd that the 180,000 cubic meter (㎥) ultra-large liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier "Prism Courage," built by autonomous navigation specialist Avikus and SK Shipping, completed an ocean crossing using autonomous navigation. The ship is equipped with Avikus's Level 2 autonomous navigation solution, HiNAS 2.0.

Specifically, the ship departed from Freeport on the Gulf of Mexico coast in the southern United States on the 1st of last month, passed through the Panama Canal, crossed the Pacific Ocean, and arrived at the LNG terminal in Boryeong, Chungcheongnam-do after 33 days of navigation. Of the approximately 20,000 km voyage, half, or 10,000 km, was autonomously navigated using HiNAS 2.0.

HiNAS 2.0, developed by Avikus, generates optimal routes and sailing speeds based on Hyundai Global Service's Integrated Smart Ship Solution (ISS). This Level 2 autonomous navigation system uses artificial intelligence (AI) to perceive the surrounding environment such as weather and waves, as well as the ship itself, and controls the ship's steering commands in real time. Level 2 autonomous navigation technology refers to the capability that, in addition to perception and decision-making functions of Level 1, can also perform steering and control.

During this crossing, the ship equipped with HiNAS 2.0 autonomously navigated the optimal route, improving fuel efficiency by about 7% and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by about 5%. Additionally, it accurately recognized the positions of other vessels during navigation and avoided collision risks over 100 times.

After receiving a certificate of results for this autonomous ocean crossing from the American Bureau of Shipping, Avikus plans to commercialize HiNAS 2.0 in the second half of this year.

Avikus, launched in December 2020 as Hyundai Heavy Industries Group's first in-house venture, succeeded last June in the first fully autonomous navigation of a 12-passenger cruise ship in Korea. Earlier this year, it showcased autonomous navigation technology at CES 2022, the world's largest electronics and IT exhibition, and is accelerating its lead in autonomous navigation technology by collaborating with the American Bureau of Shipping for stepwise basic certification of ship autonomous navigation technology.