Japanese shipping company Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (“K” Line) said the ro-ro vessel Hokuren Maru No.2 passed the ship inspection as an “autonomous vessel.”
The vessel Hokuren Maru No.2 obtained certification related to autonomous ships from Nippon Kaiji Kyokai (ClasssNK) on January 27 and subsequently passed the statutory ship inspection by the ministry of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism as an “autonomous vessel” on February 9.
“K” Line has also announced that the demonstration tests of autonomous navigation have been completed for the scheduled domestic ro-ro vessel, connecting the Kushiro-Hitachi route and operated by Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen.
As a result, the vessel can utilize autonomous navigation functions equivalent to level 4 of the SAE Levels of Driving Automation even during commercial voyages.
Hokuren Maru No.2 is a domestic coastal ro-ro vessel (approximately 173 meters in length and 11,413 gross tons) operated by Kawasaki Kinkai Kisen.
The vessel is engaged in transporting agricultural products, mainly raw milk, from Kushiro Port in Hokkaido to Hitachi Port in Ibaraki Prefecture.
The vessel is one of the four demonstration ships in the Nippon Foundation unmanned autonomous ship project and aims to realize autonomous navigation through retrofit of an existing domestic coastal ro-ro vessel (i.e. enhancing performance by adding new functions to existing equipment).
