Gov't exempts feasibility study for AI-powered autonomous ship project

SEOUL, Nov. 6 (Yonhap) -- The government said Thursday it has decided to exempt a preliminary feasibility study for an autonomous vessel project powered by artificial intelligence (AI) to help speed up the country's future maritime capabilities.

With the exemption, the country will speed up the development of core technologies for building the Level 4 autonomous vessel by 2032, according to the industry and oceans ministries.

Level 4 means that a ship is fully autonomous, capable of making decisions and determining actions by itself with AI-based perception and control. It is considered a next-generation vessel that can reshape the future of the shipping and shipbuilding industries.

In detail, the government project is aimed at developing unmanned navigation and automated marine engineering technologies for fully autonomous ships before the International Maritime Organization establishes international standards for such technologies in 2032.

"The autonomous ship-related field is where Korea can lead the world by combining our top-tier shipbuilding and AI technologies," Industry Minister Kim Jung-kwan said in a press release.

nyway@yna.co.kr
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