The agreement is part of K Line’s Initiative for Expediting Implementation of Autonomous Ships.

The joint R&D project aims to develop a system that will prevent serious maritime accidents such as ship collisions and groundings and that will lead to autonomous ship operations by combining K Line’s manoeuvring knowledge and experience in safe ship operation over many years, JRC marine equipment’s knowledge and advanced radio technology developed, and YDK’s steering and propulsion control technology.

The aim is to develop a comprehensive system that will further improve the safety of ship operations by utilising the knowledge and technologies of the three partners in each process from situation awareness by the seafarer to maneuvering control of the ship, combined with the most advanced technologies provided by Groke Technologies, Fujitsu, and Forum8.