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Mikela

@BathysphereHat @FeralRobots @MaddieT @stavvers

title is terrible but its a autonomous cargo ship thats wind powered for slow port to port shipping

which is kindov neat and a first of its kind of thing

16 comments
binchicken

@castironflower @BathysphereHat @FeralRobots @MaddieT @stavvers well, maybe fully self-sailing will work better than fully self-driving.

that was a difficult thing to say with a straight face

Rabbit Cohen

@thegarbagebird @castironflower @FeralRobots @MaddieT @stavvers The thing that doesn't particularly make sense to me about making something like this self sailing is that the vast majority of labor on a cargo ship like that is, as I understand it, not navigation but maintenance and such.

binchicken

@BathysphereHat @castironflower @FeralRobots @MaddieT @stavvers oh i am sure that much like self driving cars they will not have any build issues.
they will be no trouble at all in a busy port, docking around one of those will be a breeze

FeralRobots replied to binchicken

@thegarbagebird @BathysphereHat @castironflower @MaddieT @stavvers
They've got motors for maneuvering in port & no port in the world will let them pilot automatically. So that honestly won't be an issue.

binchicken replied to FeralRobots

@FeralRobots @BathysphereHat @castironflower @MaddieT @stavvers oh, so they're not actually automated. well that's a massive relief.

FeralRobots replied to binchicken

@thegarbagebird @BathysphereHat @castironflower @MaddieT @stavvers
I don't think we're saying they're *not* (I mean, they don't exist yet, but looking past that) - I think we're saying they *can't be*, because maritime law will require them to not be. There may also be technical reasons but the legal (& insurance) reasons would supersede them.

Mikela replied to FeralRobots

@FeralRobots @thegarbagebird @BathysphereHat @MaddieT @stavvers my understanding is the goal fully automated fleets in international waters and human ran within ports

binchicken replied to FeralRobots

@FeralRobots @BathysphereHat @castironflower @MaddieT @stavvers that's what i’d like to think too, but tech companies tend to find things like laws restrictive. they stifle ‘innovation’ and cut into profit margins

Mikela replied to binchicken

@thegarbagebird @BathysphereHat @FeralRobots @MaddieT @stavvers they dont doc in port automatically but are driven in by humans

the ocean is big and accidents are rare at high seas

FeralRobots replied to Mikela

@castironflower @thegarbagebird @BathysphereHat @MaddieT @stavvers
yep, AI advocates & VCs can want what they want, maritime authorities are not going to let ships dock without qualified pilots.😉

binchicken replied to binchicken

@BathysphereHat @castironflower @FeralRobots @MaddieT @stavvers i agree that in open water, they will be effective. i just don't know how they will get there.

my guess is with expensive port refits it will be doable.

Mikela

@BathysphereHat @thegarbagebird @FeralRobots @MaddieT @stavvers

i think, and i could be wrong, that diesal engines and stuff for humans is the big maintenance task

so electric motors and a tiny computer plus rigid sails might actually have significantly less things to break and if they do it might just sail in circles

and its frieght so i presume a percentage needing a rescue is ok

FeralRobots

@castironflower @BathysphereHat @MaddieT @stavvers
For practical, legal purposes, cargo vessels can't be autonomous at this point in time. 'Self-sailing' almost certainly refers to automating control of the foils, along with deeper integration of navigation, etc. They would literally not be permitted into any significant port in the world without a qualified skipper & pilot, & based on their concept vids the ship has power & maneuvering capability.

Aaron

@FeralRobots @castironflower @BathysphereHat @MaddieT @stavvers What's to stop a crew from meeting the vessel just before it enters port?

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