---
title: "Rolls-Royce To Launch Robot Cargo Ships By “End of the Decade”"
description: "Rolls-Royce has announced research showing the possibility of remote-controlled cargo ships by 2020."
date: "2016-06-28"
modified: "2016-06-28"
authors:
  - name: "Jelor Gallego"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jelor-gallego"
url: "https://futurism.com/rolls-royce-envisions-robot-cargo-ships-by-end-of-the-decade"
categories:
  - "Artificial Intelligence"
tags:
  - "cargo ships"
  - "remote-controlled ships"
  - "Rolls-Royce"
---

# Rolls-Royce To Launch Robot Cargo Ships By “End of the Decade”

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/rolls-royce_A.png>)
*\<em\>Image: \<a href="https://www.engadget.com" target="\_blank"\>Rolls Royce plc, Flickr\</a\>\</em\>*

While it may seem that [Rolls-Royce](<https://futurism.com/rolls-royces-new-concept-car-is-a-next-level-mobile-vip-lounge>) is purely a luxury car company, it has been cooking up something completely unexpected: [remote-controlled cargo ships.](<https://www.engadget.com/2016/06/26/rolls-royce-plans-remote-controlled-cargo-ships/>) The Rolls-Royce led Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Applications Initiative (AAWA) has [presented its vision](<http://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/yr-2016/21-06-2016-rr-publishes-vision-of-the-future-of-remote-and-autonomous-shipping.aspx>) at the Autonomous Ship Technology Symposium 2016 in Amsterdam of how remote and autonomous shipping can become a reality.

The company is working on virtual decks where land-based crews would control every aspect of the ship. Additionally, there will also be VR camera views and monitoring drones to spot issues humans cannot. Therefore, only requiring one human to steer several boats.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vg0A9Ve7SxE

Autonomy promises many advantages such as mitigating the human factor in both crew error and the threat of piracy. Also the removal of crew quarters frees up more space for goods.

Part of the initiative has already arrived. One ship, the [Stril Luna](<http://www.rolls-royce.com/media/press-releases/yr-2015/pr-28-10-2015-rr-unified-bridge-wins-ergonomics-design-award.aspx>), has a smart Unified Bridge system in place for coordinating all its equipment. Rolls-Royce is aiming to launch the first remote-controlled cargo ships by 2020, then to have autonomous fleets within two decades.