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KOREA UNVEILS FIRST CONTAINERSHIP DESIGNED TO RUN ON ITS OWN
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Today's debut of a new containership by South Korea is expected to mark significant advancements in the field of autonomous shipping. The ship is being marketed by the nation's Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries as the first sizable oceangoing vessel built for Level 3 autonomous shipping. Later this year, the ministry intends to use the ship to conduct the first lengthy international autonomous shipping demonstrations.
Today's event commemorated the vessel's christening and float out, which was recognised by shipbuilder Hyundai Mipo Dockyard in Ulsan, South Korea. She is Singapore's Pos designed for Pan Ocean. The vessel, which has a capacity of 1,800 TEU, is 564 feet (172 metres) in length and was ordered in 2022. The 22,200 dwt containership, registered in Liberia, is expected to be delivered at the end of this month, at which point it will start outfitting and testing the autonomous system.
The government of South Korea emphasises that in its November 2023 announcement of the Advanced Maritime Mobility Development Strategy, autonomous vessels are one of the main initiatives. In 2020, the government initiated the autonomous shipping initiative, allocating approximately $120 million for the advancement and exploration of the technology.