NYK-operated car carrier Elder Leader (“the vessel”), which is equipped with an autonomous navigation system, made its first call at the port of Singapore on April 29, 2026. On this occasion, NYK, together with the NYK Group company MTI Co., Ltd. and the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), conducted a demonstration trial to verify the interoperability between the vessel’s autonomous navigation system and the port systems.
The vessel is a next-generation car carrier equipped with marine DX technologies, including an advanced autonomous navigation system, a large-motion mitigation system, and a comprehensive onboard Wi-Fi network covering the entire vessel. The vessel also adopts a decarbonized design utilizing liquefied natural gas as fuel, which is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.
In 2024, NYK signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with MPA to promote decarbonization, digitalization, and human resource development in the maritime sector. The present demonstration trial was conducted in accordance with this MOU and under strict safety management, following a prior risk assessment, with the ship master, ship’s bridge team, and a pilot in attendance. Remote pilotage was limited to navigation through the channel and fairways only. The following items were verified:
- Transmission of voyage planning data from the vessel to MPA’s next generation vessel traffic management system (NGVTMS) prototypes
- Sharing of pilotage route information from the onshore support system to the vessel, as well as real-time transmission of live operational data and video from the vessel
- Utilization of MPA’s Just‑in‑Time (JIT) platform to enable smooth and efficient vessel arrival
The outcomes obtained from this demonstration trial are expected to be utilized in the study of MPA’s next-generation vessel traffic management systems, as well as shore-based support systems capable of interfacing with autonomous vessels. These results represent a significant step forward toward the practical deployment of autonomous vessels in international shipping. NYK will continue to promote the social implementation of autonomous navigation technologies through collaboration with partner companies and relevant organizations.
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