07 Sep Rise in Automated Shipping
Interest in remotely-controlled ships and autonomous shipping is on the rise, as it proves to be an effective means of transporting cargo across large bodies of water or achieving other maritime objectives, without the need for high levels of economic or personal investment.
Many commercial projects are in their initial iterations now – these involve cash, cargo and more, being transported via AI, and similar technologies, from one port to another.
However, automated travel presents challenges for fire protection and regulations. Particular technology must be thoroughly tested and software must be completely secure before any of these automated shipping solutions can reach the market.
One solution that can be applied here is that of motion cameras. In areas where there is unpredictable motion, such as that of a fire or smoke, sprinklers can automatically be activated to combat any fires that have broken out on board the vessel.
Due to the lack of workmen, or technology that isn’t waterproof, as soon as a fire event is isolated by smart cameras on board these vessels, fire, or CO2 can immediately be activated. The fire can also be sealed off and starved of oxygen and movement, without any risk presented to individuals on board – as there are no individuals on board.
Other new technologies are currently being developed, alongside the streamlining of the automation of vessels. The risks are obvious – but the rewards are great.