The 6th International Ship Autonomy and Sustainability Summit

The high-level participants and expertise address how leading countries and regions deal with both national and international developments for autonomous ships and shipping.

The 6th International Ship Autonomy and Sustainability Summit

The high-level participants and expertise address how leading countries and regions deal with both national and international developments for autonomous ships and shipping.

The International Ship Autonomy and Sustainability Summit is the leading international conference for decision and strategy makers within the area of autonomous ships. It aims to have an up-to-date and practical foundation and uses panel discussions to present different opinions on topics with relevance for autonomous ships. Renowned specialists on subjects such as technology, regulation and insurance, discuss opportunities and barriers with the users of the technology, such as leaders of new and innovative sea transportation and logistics operations, as well as representatives from the different groups of employees.

This year’s edition will focus on the current use of autonomy in commercial shipping, with a focus on larger uncrewed surface vessels and urban and coastal ferries. We will also take a closer look at the role of artificial intelligence in autonomous ships.

Please contact Director Sidsel Norvik at sn@nor-shipping.com for further information.

Video from The 3rd International Ship Autonomy and Sustainability Summit at Nor-Shipping 2022

Schedule & Program

Time & place

Lunch and networking together withother conference participants

09:00-12:30 Part 1 – Developments in non-MASS autonomous ship operations

Session 1 – Developments in large uncrewed and remote-controlled USVs
USVs are getting larger, and some are already being built for uncrewed operations and beyond line-of-sight supervision. The USVs are typically up to 24 meters length, and intended for use in various surveys, offshore intervention or other specialized services. The design of these USVs and their remote operating centres (ROC) are becoming more and more similar to what is foreseen for MASS, and it is obvious that there are important takeaways from USV developments that are also of use for MASS.

Session 2 – Developments in passenger and car ferries
There is an increasing interest in autonomous passenger and car ferries. These vessels cannot easily be uncrewed as passengers may require assistance from safety personnel. However, by reducing or changing the type of crew, more automated operations may provide better and more frequent services to the public without a prohibitive cost increase. Details of these business models can be of interest also to MASS operations. Safety and trust in automation, as well as societal acceptance, are issues that must be addressed for the autonomous ferries. These are also important aspects for MASS.

12:30 Welcome from Commission and Norwegian ministry

13:30-17:00 Part 2 – AI in autonomous ships and role of the human operator

Session 3 – The current state of AI in autonomous ship operations
AI, as we use it today, is mainly based on machine learning in various forms, and this technology has many possibilities, but also limitations. This session will invite industry experts to present their view on the use of AI in autonomous ship control: Is it necessary? How far can it take us? Is it safe, and how can AI-based equipment be approved for use in safety-related functions?

Session 4 – The role of the human operator during increasing use of automation and AI
Due to IMO requirements and practical considerations, all MASS will have a ROC with operators that can monitor and control the ship. When AI and advanced automation is in use on the MASS, how will the operator interact with the onboard automation system? How much trust can the operator have in the AI and that it does not sometimes and unexpectedly fail? How is control transferred between the automation system and the human? ROC operators and domain specialists will discuss these issues.