How can autonomous and highly digital vessels operate safely across diverse maritime environments?
This question was at the core of the latest SEAMLESS webinar, organised by ALICE, which brought together leading experts to explore innovative approaches to next-generation waterborne transport.
The session provided in-depth insights into the development of intelligent, rule-aware and fault-tolerant systems designed to support safe and efficient vessel operations across both short-sea and inland waterway contexts.
Nikos Kougiatsos and Vasso Reppa (Delft University of Technology) presented advanced solutions for Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC) systems, emphasising the importance of adaptability to different operational environments, as well as the integration of rule awareness and fault-tolerant capabilities.
Konstantinos Louzis (National Technical University of Athens) addressed key challenges related to risk assessment and safety assurance, highlighting the increasing complexity of maritime systems driven by digitalisation and automation.
Key takeaways from the webinar included:
- The need for navigation systems capable of adapting to varying environmental and regulatory conditions
- The critical role of fault tolerance and system resilience in ensuring safe autonomous operations
- The necessity to evolve traditional safety assessment methodologies to account for cyber-physical and AI-based systems
The discussion also underlined the importance of certification processes, governance frameworks and stakeholder collaboration to enable the safe and scalable deployment of autonomous vessels in real-world operations.
