Autonomous ships: a review, innovative applications and future maritime business models

Over the last decade, a few autonomous ship prototypes have been developed. While Norway is pioneering the technological development of autonomous ships (AS), other countries such as China, Finland and USA have also made significant progress. However, future applications of AS and potential business models are not yet well explored. In the near future, AS are expected to be launched commercially, adding a new dimension in the merchant shipping industry. Thus, this study contributes to the maritime literature by (1) providing a review of the AS development projects and the benefits of AS from an economic, environmental and social perspective, (2) suggesting innovative uses of AS in short-sea-shipping (SSS), arctic shipping, and conventional shipping, and finally (3) discussing potential business models from the perspective of AS manufacturers.