We will participate in the Joint Technological Development Program for the Demonstration of Fully Autonomous Ships under the MEGURI 2040 Fully Autonomous Ship Project* (hereinafter MEGURI2040) administrated by the Nippon Foundation, as a member of the Designing the Future of Fully Autonomous Ships Plus consortium (hereinafter DFFAS+),** which comprises 51 companies based in Japan.

On July 20, the Nippon Foundation held a seminar*** on the MEGURI2040. At the seminar, an overview of the second stage of MEGURI2040 and the project’s initiatives were presented.

Yohei Sasakawa, Chairman
of the Nippon Foundation

This program is positioned as the second stage of MEGURI2040, which started in 2020, and aims for full-scale commercialization of fully autonomous ship technology by 2025, which was developed in the “Joint Technological Development Program for Demonstration of Fully Autonomous Ship,” which was carried out as the first stage, in cooperation with the Nippon Foundation.

Mitsuyuki Unno, Executive Director
of the Nippon Foundation

Program Overview

The program will aim for full-scale commercialization of fully autonomous ships technology by 2025, with four goals.

1. Demonstration test

In addition to designing next-generation ships that will support the coastal shipping industry in the future, a demonstration of ship-land operations will be conducted to simulate the future coastal shipping industry that will be supported by fully autonomous ships. The demonstration will use four different types of ships (a newly built full package container ship; with a fully autonomous navigation function, an existing container ship, a RORO cargo ship and a remote island route ship; with some autonomous navigation function) and two Fleet Operation Centers.

2. Standardization of developed technologies

To refine the fully autonomous ships technology developed in the first stage, and by standardizing these technologies into international standards, to strengthen Japan’s maritime industry and lead the international competition in fully autonomous ships technology.

3. Reinforcement of development process infrastructure

Based on the development process infrastructure established in the first stage, reinforce it further by upgrading simulation technology, generalizing risk assessment, etc.

4. Social Implementation

To commercialize an autonomous navigation function (including a land-based monitoring function) and to establish a certification scheme necessary to commercialize the function.

In addition, to improve the environment for social implementation, we will utilize our knowledge of technological development to establish international and domestic rules for fully autonomous ships, examine human resource requirements and training methods to accommodate new working styles, study the use of deregulation and other methods to ensure the continuous commercial use of fully autonomous ships, and examine insurance and freight rates for fully autonomous ships.

Our Approach

Following the first stage of MEGURI2040, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. will participate in the second stage and form a working group to lead the sea trial on the existing container ship with some autonomous operation system.

Taking into account issues identified in the first stage, the working group aims to enhance the quality of the autonomous operation system and demonstrate that it is equivalent to operations performed by a navigation officer, with the goal of reducing the workload during navigation watch.

Mikage (coastal containership operated by Imoto Corporation),
a test ship for this autonomous operation trial

In order to solve social issues in Japan’s coastal shipping industry, such as reducing labour shortages and workloads, preventing maritime accidents, and maintaining remote island shipping routes, and to support stable domestic logistics and transportation infrastructure, the Nippon Foundation, DFFAS+ participating companies, and domestic and international partner organizations will continue to work together toward the commercialization of fully autonomous ships by 2025.
Source: Mitsui O.S.K.Lines