Autonomous Shipping

Summary

Autonomous shipping is a developing technology with the potential to radically alter the shipping sector by introducing unmanned vessels. While autonomous shipping has several potential advantages, including higher efficiency, decreased costs, and enhanced safety, it also faces some security concerns and future obstacles. Connectivity, data sharing, and digital systems are crucial for autonomous ships. This reliance increases the likelihood of cyber threats like hacking, data loss, and unwanted interference. Autonomous ships’ safe and secure functioning depends on their being shielded from cyber threats. Navigation, propulsion, and cargo management are just a few systems that make up an autonomous ship. Hackers can potentially exploit flaws in any system. It is crucial to identify and remedy these vulnerabilities to protect the ship's operations from threats that could interrupt or compromise them. Sensors like global positioning systems (GPS), radar, and lidar let autonomous ships get a clear picture of their surroundings and make sound navigational choices. However, the signals from these sensors can be intentionally disrupted (in the case of jamming) or spoofed (in the case of spoofing) by malicious actors. If an attack of this kind compromises the ship's navigation system, collisions and other accidents may happen. For autonomous shipping to be widely adopted, it must first earn the people's trust. Worries about cybersecurity, the loss of maritime jobs, and the ships’ ability to respond to the unexpected may hinder the public's adoption of autonomous ships. Successful adoption of autonomous shipping requires establishing public trust through open testing, regulatory monitoring, and clear communication. In order to effectively address existing security concerns and future problems, the marine industry, technology providers, regulatory agencies, and cybersecurity experts will need to work together. The full potential of autonomous shipping while maintaining its security and safety will depend on ongoing research, development, and testing of autonomous shipping technology and the adoption of international standards and laws. The primary objective of this chapter is to focus on emerging technologies in Autonomous Shipping and Security issues. We provided solutions and recommendations to new researchers and concerned companies.