The Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Applications Initiative (AAWA) project, led by Rolls-Royce, introduced the project’s first commercial ship operators: ferry operator Finferries and dry bulk cargo carriers ESL Shipping Oy. The announcement came at a conference presenting the findings of the initiative’s first year of research at Helsinki’s Finlandia Hall last week, Rolls-Royce said in its press release.
The AAWA project brings together universities, ship designers, equipment manufacturers and classification societies to explore the economic, social, legal, regulatory and technological factors which need to be addressed to make autonomous ships a reality. It will produce the specification and preliminary designs for the next generation of advanced ship solutions.
Finferries will assist the project by carrying out a series of tests of sensor arrays in a range of operating and climatic conditions on board their 65 metre double ended ferry, the Stella, which operates between Korpo and Houtskär.
ESL Shipping Ltd will help the project explore the implications of remote and autonomous ships for the short sea cargo sector.