AI Camera Helps Reduce Labor, Increase Safety in the Maritime Transport Sector

Japanese trading company Marubeni is partnering with Israeli startup Orca AI to equip ships with AI cameras that can aid vision in fog or darkness to reduce collisions.

Orca AI's camera system, called SeaPod, was trained on more than 20 million nautical miles worth of ocean imagery, the equivalent of 4,200 trans-Pacific voyages from Japan to Los Angeles.

AI system displays ships and moving objects in front of the ship. Photo: Nikkei Asia.

AI analyzes big data from footage as well as other parameters like weather-related delays to improve situational awareness of potential collisions.

The system processes real-time camera footage, automatically detects targets and displays the results on the navigation aid screen. In low visibility conditions due to fog, the screen will display ships, reefs and other obstacles ahead.

Japan’s shipping industry struggles to attract and retain workers, who are often away from home for months at a time on each voyage. To address the crew shortage, shippers are turning to automated navigation technology to save on labor.

Normally, ships are equipped with automatic identification systems (AIS), a GPS-based technology to determine the ship's location, but this method has disadvantages because small ships are not required to install AIS, while some large ships intentionally turn the system off when engaging in illegal activities, such as smuggling.

In addition to Orca AI, Marubeni is working with partners like ClassNK to optimize routes using digital technology. It is also interested in digitalization in areas related to crew and ships, such as investing in Nippon Yusen's cryptocurrency platform for crew.

(According to Nikkei)

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/ung-dung-ai-giam-nhan-cong-tang-an-toan-trong-van-tai-bien-2193945.html