Crewless ships

Greetings,

Going over news today and found a fascinating article at www.lewrockwell.com by Gary North titled "Bad News for Somali Kidnappers: Cargo Ships Without Crews". It also has a link that directs you to www.thelocal.no a Dutch/English newsite.

Many of you will tend to disagree his views but its inevitable that the increased security/safety and efficiency will have a major impact on owners/operators decisions to upgrade or build new ships based on this concept once the technology is fully developed. Make no mistake about it, it will developed and probably sooner than the ten years mentioned. I see good investment potential here.

 

Didn't the Transformers G1 cartoon feature a story where the Decepticons stole all the oil takers by using an automated system like this?

 

Replacing bridge personnel with machines is old hat of course but replacing the engineers? Never happen.

 

These boats without crew must be guided by a computer program that gets its data via satellite.
To hack that program is much easier than reduce the crew, more comfortable and without bloodshed.
Perhaps the pirates also build pirate ships without crew. Why not dream?
Unattended engine rooms is a very old invention.

 

News ?

What a crock of rubbish this site is

Ebola Death Camps Coming
Round them up, lock them in; eventually they’ll die. Article by Lizzie Bennett.

Are You being Poisoned by Mercury?
From dental fillings to vaccines, it’s all too common, says Dr. David Brownstein.


http://www.lewrockwell.com/2014/09/gary-north/crewless-cargo-ships-
/

By Gary North
The Tea Party Economist
September 26, 2014

"The free market is relentless in cutting costs. Next up: cargo ships without crews. .... Does this technology sound like a good idea to you? It does to me. Crew costs will fall to zero. Kidnapping ransoms will be a thing of the past. There will be fewer accidents."

 

Unattended engine rooms are fine so long as nothing ever breaks.

 

This really is a deep thought.
Since we are using our intelligence at full capacity, I will say that in my humble opinion, all machines, all robots, all computers, all automatic, anything, are valid until they cease to be.

 

What sort of maritime or other law prevents ships from having weapons.
If the film "Captain Phillips" was anything like the truth, it wouldn't have taken much in the way of fire power to blow the dogs out of the water.

Peter

 

I think you are being somewhat conservative Mr T. Modern machinery is never care free, and requires constant love and attention.

My last new vehicle was a modern diesel utility truck. It was great. I paid $37,000 for it.

In the 8 scheduled dealer services it had, it averaged about $1000 per service, so in 80,000 kilometers it cost ~ 20% of its purchase price ... and I sold before the big 100,000 kilometer $2,500 service came up.

With a small vehicle, the worst a breakdown can be is a call to a towtruck.

Can we imagine a dozen totally crewless Exxon Valdeez loose on the oceans ?

Check out the list of ship accidents for 2012 - all WITH crew.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_shipwrecks_in_2012


Crewless Ships ? A figment of imagination from a criminally greedy ship owner !

 

It will take a lot of convincing the ILO for these crewless ships and the USCG and Port State Control will be scratching their heads when they board the ship and find nobody there.

 

How do you board a crewless ship ? "USCG to SS Unmanned - please slow to 2 knots to allow the customs launch to come alongside, and please make a side ladder available to the officers .... come in SS Unmanned ...... come in ....."

 

The idea is , the ship will automatically slow to 2 knots before reaching port...................unless there is a blown fuse in the de-acceleration module.

They will then resort to ram technology.

Poida

 

In the usual holywood way. "Somebody" will answer them and concede with their demands but once inside and on the bridge, they will find they are talking to Hal 9000. If they know whom to talk to, they will be asking for Stanley Kubrick.

 

I can imagine a scenario like this;

USCG: SS Crewless, slow down and lower your boarding ladder so we can board the ship for inspection. This is the US Coast Guard.
SS Crewless; Negative. I will not allow any boarding or any inspection.
USCG: I repeat, this is the US Coast Guard and you are in US territory. You are commanded to slow down and allow us to board.
SS Crewless: This is the Hal 9000 speaking and I do not allow any monkeys on board.
USCG: Once more you are commanded to slow down to allow us to board your ship otherwise we will be forced to ram you.
SS Crewless: USCG any attempt to ram me will be futile. Do you realize I am a monolith and is indestructible?
USCG: (Turns off the mike and speak to each other) This must be terrorist ship trying to enter the US illegaly to dump their cargo. Let us try to find an opening in the ship and force our way in to disable the ship.
SS Crewless: USCG, watch your tongue. I can read your lips. Do not force your way in because I will lock you out and throw you into the deep blue yonder.
………………
I wonder what happened next?

 

It is true that computers will not have achieved artificial intelligence modeled after human intelligence until they can be both spontaneously rude and make up excuses for why they aren't doing their job.