As part of the international event on CES technologies, closed yesterday in Las Vegas, the Avikus, development company of autonomous navigation technologies for Group ships South Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), has signed a memorandum of understanding with the company of US ABS classification to obtain from this approval in principle (AiP) for implementation autonomous navigation technologies.

Thanks to the signing of the agreement, Avikus will start tests demonstrations of their autonomous navigation solutions in compliance with the "Guide to autonomous functions and remote control" published by ABS in July 2021. Follow-up of the trials, Avikus will be able to obtain certificates related to each phase of its navigation technologies autonomous, while ABS will analyze the project, will regulate testing procedures and will verify the implementation of each phase based on operational tests made by Avikus.

The goal of Avikus is to experiment with the technology of autonomous navigation developed through comparison with ABS making a long transoceanic voyage with a merchant ship. "The autonomous ships - it has highlighted in this regard the ABS Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President, John McDonald's - will have a significant role to play in transportation seafarers of the future, but they will have to be at least as safe as the current ships. To achieve this will require a Considerable research and development, teamwork and the sharing of expertise among key players in the sector maritime. That is why this agreement is a point of breakthrough, as it combines knowledge of ABS with HHI experience in order to develop practical applications of the technology'.