China's first domestically produced autonomous freighter, Jindouyun 0 Hao (Cloudborne 0) successfully completed its maiden cargo voyage on Dec 15, carrying Dong'ao Island specialty products to Pier 1 of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge.

The trial from the Wanshan Islands unmanned marine test site marked the first time for an autonomous-navigation cargo ship to undergo cargo tests. Yan Xinping, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, said this officially opens the exploration and practice of autonomous navigation and promotes intelligent shipping.

The Cloudborne was developed by Yunzhou Tech's iCloudNav Intelligent Technology in the Zhuhai National Hi-Tech Industrial Development Zone (Tangjiawan). It attracted wide attention from industry insiders due to its remote control, autonomous tracking, obstacle avoidance, and controlled berthing and sailing.

Highlighted is an autonomous navigation system that draws on the company's mature technology and experience in network control, cyber-physical, and distributed control systems to realize vessel sensing, decision-making, and command. 

The Cloudborne 0 small cargo SUV ship [Photo by Zhong Fan / Zhuhai Daily]

Showing bright prospects for a vessel and shipping market worth trillions of dollars, the realization of autonomous navigation is a revolutionary breakthrough in vessel design and manufacture. It can save construction and operation costs by more than 20 percent, cut fuel consumption by 15 percent, and greatly reduce emissions.

Significantly, digital twin technology allows the shore-based center to conduct real-time ship supervision and direction. The operating system is able to make decisions and determine actions independent of human interaction. Eventually, the ship will satisfy four degrees of autonomy for maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS) set by the International Maritime Organization.

A digitalized control technology and electric propulsion system are also adopted in response to autonomous navigation requirements.

A joint project between Zhuhai Municipal Government, the China Classification Society (CCS), Wuhan University of Technology, and Yunzhou Tech, the ship building was initiated by the end of 2017. At the time, Zhang Yunfei, founder of Yunzhou Tech, said the small USV cargo ship would mainly be used for inland navigation and island supply.

Next, the project team will conduct multi-ship collision avoidance and autonomous berthing and berthing experiments, and then demonstrate inland river autonomous navigation.

iCloudNav will explore the commercial application of autonomous ships in the transport supply and marine sectors. It will also cooperate with CCS and maritime authorities to compile standards for autonomous ships, according to a project head.