Taking the Lead in Autonomous Navigation: All-Japan Consortium Sailing Toward Crewless Maritime Shipping

The fixed-route container ship Genbu is 134.9 meters long. To the right is the trailer-mounted mobile Fleet Operation Center. (© Nippon.com)

The Genbu manages to dock and undock successfully at a tricky pier. (© Nippon.com)

Inside the mobile Fleet Operation Center, which packs full functionality into a single vehicle to offer remote support to autonomous ships across Japan. (© Nippon.com)

When the center transmits an updated shipping route, the ship shifts course while underway. (© Nippon.com)

The interior is like something out of a spaceship. Children touring the center have been heard to say, “I want to ride this ship!”—a hopeful sign that the sailors of the future will be found. (© Nippon.com)

From left: Nippon Foundation Executive Director Unno Mitsuyuki; Matsuura Mitsuharu, president of the All Japan Seamen’s Union; Mizushima Satoru, vice-minister of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport, and Tourism; and Ogata Takeju, chairman of the Nippon Foundation at the March 27 press conference. (© Nippon.com)