Factors Influencing the Economic Feasibility of Unmanned Ships

Abstract

The research effort into unmanned and autonomous ships has increased significantly over the last decade. Although not all required technology is currently commercially available, consensus is that from a technical standpoint, unmanned shipping is possible. The next question is: is it economically feasible to operate an unmanned ship. The article investigates which operation parameters influence the economic feasibility of differently sized unmanned ships the most.