Japan’s maritime industry is taking significant strides towards the full-scale commercialization of fully autonomous ships, thanks to the MEGURI2040 Fully Autonomous Ship Project. This collaborative effort, administered by the Nippon Foundation and involving 51 companies under the Designing the Future of Fully Autonomous Ships Plus consortium (DFFAS+), aims to revolutionize the coastal shipping industry and lead the international competition in autonomous ship technology.
The program is now moving into the second stage, building upon the advancements made during the first stage which involved several sea trials on board vessels providing real-time experience and insight into the readiness of the technology.