The race towards getting autonomous vehicles on roads is accelerating rather quickly and beginning to take place on water as well as seen with the newly announced Hrönn ship vessel. Designed in collaboration between UK-based Automated Ships Ltd and Norway-based Konsberg Maritime, the Hrönn ship is a light-duty vessel that could deliver cargo, survey and aid the recovery of other smaller autonomous vehicles.
The Hrönn ship vessel will be initially launched under remote control rather than full autonomy with the plan to transition over to autonomous over a short period of time. Construction on the vessel is set to start in January of 2017 in Norway with the field operation set to start sometime in 2018.
Automated Offshore Survey Vessels
The Hrönn Ship Vessel Can Survey and Deliver Cargo Autonomously
Trend Themes
1. Autonomous Vehicles on Water - The development of the Hrönn ship vessel highlights the trend of autonomous vehicles expanding from roads to water, presenting opportunities for disruptive innovation in the maritime industry.
2. Remote Control to Autonomy Transition - The Hrönn ship vessel's plan to start under remote control and transition to full autonomy demonstrates the trend of gradually incorporating autonomous features, creating opportunities for disruptive innovation in the field of maritime technology.
3. Multi-purpose Autonomous Vessels - The Hrönn ship vessel's ability to deliver cargo, survey, and assist other autonomous vehicles reflects the trend of multi-purpose autonomous vehicles, opening up disruptive innovation opportunities in various industries such as shipping, logistics, and marine research.
Industry Implications
1. Maritime Industry - The development of autonomous vessels, like the Hrönn ship, presents disruptive innovation opportunities in the maritime industry, including improved efficiency, reduced costs, and new business models.
2. Maritime Technology - The transition from remote control to full autonomy in vessels, as seen with the Hrönn ship, creates opportunities for disruptive innovation in the field of maritime technology, such as advanced sensor systems and communication networks.
3. Shipping, Logistics, and Marine Research - The multi-purpose capabilities of autonomous vessels, exemplified by the Hrönn ship, offer disruptive innovation opportunities in industries like shipping, logistics, and marine research, through increased automation, improved efficiency, and enhanced data collection.