- Samsung Heavy Industries launched the “Shift Auto,” a mission-based research vessel equipped with fully autonomous navigation functions from the design stage.
- This innovative vessel, designed to accommodate 12 passengers, is optimized for autonomous navigation research with a catamaran structure that minimizes hull shaking.
- The catamaran is renowned for its low vibration and excellent stability, making it ideal for research purposes.
Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) has held a launch ceremony for its latest autonomous research vessel prototype, SHIFT-Auto (SHI Future Transportation-Autonomous), equipped with full autonomous navigation capabilities, reports Business Korea.
Autonomous navigation research
Attendees at the event in Korea had the chance to experience the autonomous navigation technology first-hand by boarding SHIFT-Auto for a trial voyage off the coast of Geoje in Gohyeon Bay after the ceremony.
The 12-passenger vessel is equipped with Samsung Electronics’ SmartThings IoT system to manage data collection, and integrates a range of different autonomous navigation technologies, including automatic berthing and unberthing as well as voice-based control.
“SHIFT-Auto represents a milestone toward fully autonomous navigation. Samsung Heavy Industries is poised to become a global leader in autonomous navigation,” said Lee Dong-yeon, Vice President and Head of SHI’s Marine Research Center (translated from Korean).
This launch is the latest in a string of SHI demonstrations of its autonomous navigation systems development in recent years, following a 1,500-kilometre South China Sea voyage by an Evergreen container ship in 2023, and the completion of a 2,800-kilometre journey this October by Mokpo National Maritime University’s training ship Segero.
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Source: Business Korea
