ClassNK has joined Evergreen Marine Corporation, Samsung Heavy Industries and Weathernews in a project to verify whether AI-based voyage optimisation can reduce fuel consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions during commercial vessel operations.
The four parties have signed a memorandum of understanding to test Samsung Heavy Industries’ Samsung Autonomous Ship system aboard an Evergreen vessel.
The project will analyse operational and fuel-consumption data to assess the technology’s performance under real weather, sea and operating conditions.
Samsung Heavy Industries will operate the system’s speed-optimisation algorithm and provide real-time vessel control, while Weathernews will develop baseline voyage routes and supply high-resolution weather and ocean data.
Evergreen will provide the demonstration vessel, operational data and support from its crew.
ClassNK will conduct a technical review of the verification methodology and independently evaluate the results. The classification society will issue a Statement of Fact following the assessment.
The project aims to establish an objective method for measuring the fuel and emissions savings achieved through voyage optimisation.
According to ClassNK, the effectiveness of these technologies can vary depending on weather and sea conditions, the condition of the vessel and operational requirements. Verification under real operating conditions is therefore needed to determine their actual fuel-saving benefits.
