The Sea-trials for Demonstration of KASS Developed Technologies

Abstract

The development of autonomous ships aims to minimize human error, a major cause of maritime accidents, thereby enhancing reliability and increasing economic efficiency through optimized routes. Verification and Validation (V&V) are critical for ensuring the reliability of autonomous navigation systems, yet research in this area remains in its early stages. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has postponed the enforcement of the mandatory Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS) Code from 2028 to 2032, adding the Experience Building Phase (EBP). This suggests that potential revisions for MASS operations, including V&V and Remote Operation Centre (ROC) for autonomous ships, are necessary, and additional review work is required. Furthermore, the demand for research on ROCs is expected to increase to ensure the commercialization and safe operation of autonomous ships. In the South Korea, the government initiated the Korea Autonomous Surface Ship (KASS) project in 2020 to conduct foundational research on V&V and ROC. This includes the establishment of the Autonomous Ship Verification & Evaluation Research Centre (ASVERC) and a testbed vessel. This paper presents part of the sea-trial test results conducted using land-based and sea-based testbeds under the KASS project, with plans to continue research on V&V and ROC operation based on further sea-trial tests.