For the first time in the shipbuilding industry, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has completed building a test platform for self-operating ships linking Daejeon and Geoje with ultra-fast 5G communication. It has succeeded in verifying remote and autonomous navigation technology using model ships in real-world waters.
SHI said on Dec. 9 that it has completed a test operation that satisfies all the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs) set by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) by remotely controlling a model ship over the sea near the Geoje shipyard, which is located about 250 kilometers from the remote control center in Daejeon.
The test runs successfully verified the autonomous sailing technology, which avoids obstacles around it, while navigating the optimal shipping route when inputting a destination on a vessel.
The model ship "Easy Go" in the shape of the LNG carrier that was put into the test is a 3.3-meter-long self-operating vessel that is equipped with SHI's own auto pilot and inertial navigation system.
'Easy Go' is capable of high-speed communication in wide area and is able to identify its surroundings accurately through high-performance cameras and Lidar, and its battery electric propulsion system with cloud-based Internet of Things technology is installed to provide detailed remote control and autonomous operation.
