LR Grant AiP for SHI Navigation System & SVESSEL Communication System

[By: Lloyd's Register]

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has awarded Approval in Principle (AiP) to Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) for its Samsung Autonomous Ship (SAS) Autonomous Navigation System and SVESSEL® Communication System, a key result of a Joint Development Project formed in early 2023.  

The autonomous software for Autonomous Navigation System features an Integrated Bridge System, situational awareness tools and SHI’s Anti-Collision Decision-Making System. By integrating these features with current navigation equipment SHI’s technology can be used to eliminate human error, which accounts for the majority of maritime related accidents.

SAS software can be installed easily onto a ships system next to other software and evaluates collision risks around a vessel, whilst controlling the direction and speed of a ship to avoid objects.

The SVESSEL® system includes features for monitoring, calculation, evaluation analysis of ship’s energy usage status and assist operation of optimal trim and route/speed. Also, UX (User experience) design is designed so that not only the crew but also the shore staff can conveniently check the functions and use them easily

As part of the AiP process, SHI provided the concept and specific design for the SAS Autonomous Navigation System and SVESSEL® whilst LR carried out a comprehensive review of the technical drawings and documents for the design of SAS and SVESSEL®, in accordance with the latest LR rules and regulations for autonomous and remote access ships.

Young-Doo Kim, North East Asia TSO Manager, Lloyd’s Register, said: “This AiP is another landmark moment in LR and SHI’s joint development project for autonomous ship ready design. The Autonomous Navigation System and SVESSEL communication system developed by SHI as part of Samsung Autonomous Ship offers a wide variety of integrated digital solutions to mitigate human error at sea, a fundamental requirement if we are to reduce the number of maritime accidents and make our industry safer. LR is extremely proud to have played a part in this significant project.”

Hyun Joe Kim, Vice President and Head of Autonomous Ship Research Center, Samsung Heavy Industries, said: "SAS can help crews by providing collision alarms and reliable routes to avoid the collision in a variety encounters, which contributes to the safer marine environments. I'm very pleased to receive the AiP for SAS and SVESSEL from LR. It is an another proof of very good collaborations between SHI and LR during the certification process as we have done before. SHI continues the development of technologies on digitalization and automatic navigation to provide the most innovative ships to our customers."

The AiP follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at Posidonia 2022 where the project to develop autonomous ready ship design to support maritime digitalisation was announced alongside certification for SHI’s digitised electronic logbook system SVESSEL® eLogbook and a Statement of Fact for SHI’s SVESSEL® CII Solution as part the JDP between SHI and LR.