Editor’s Note: This article appeared in the September 2025 issue of Marine Log magazine. The rapid development of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) is radically transforming the global maritime environment and impacting the viability of virtually every function aboard ship from communications and
Marking a major step forward in its plan to deploy autonomous surface vessels at fleet scale, Boston-based Blue Water Autonomy reports that it has entered into a production agreement with Conrad Shipyard.
PEO Ships reports that the the future USNS Apalachicola (EPF 13) Spearhead-class expeditionary fast transport has successfully completed acceptance trials and unmanned logistics prototype trials. Acceptance trials consist of a series of
A Japanese consortium coordinated by Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd. (MOL) has successfully concluded what’s claimed as a world-first port-to-port unmanned containership sea trial. The trial took place between Tsuruga Port in Fukui
The world’s first all-electric autonomous containership, Yara Birkeland has completed its maiden voyage in the Oslo Fjord. The 120 TEU vessel will be used by Norwegian fertilizer giant Yara to transport mineral
Boston, Mass., headquartered Sea Machines Robotics reports that the autonomous and remotely controlled tug Nellie Bly has arrived in Hamburg after completing a 1,000+ nautical miles autonomous “Machine Odyssey” around Denmark. The
India’s Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) reports that it has signed contracts for construction and supply of two autonomous electric freight ferries for ASKO Maritime AS, Norway, with an option to build two
Kongsberg is to install and test autonomous technology on two vessels in different operational environments, with the help of EUR 20.1 million (about $22.3 million) in funding from the EU’s Horizon 2020
Asker, Norway, based Kongsberg Digital has won a contract to supply a fully-featured bridge simulator for a new, state-of-the-art autonomous ship research facility in Ulsan, South Korea. The Korean government has committed
MacGregor has won a contract from Kongsberg Maritime to deliver an automated mooring system for the world’s first autonomous containership, Yara Birkeland. This will enable mooring operations to be undertaken without human
