ABSTRACT
Autonomous shipping is considered a highly promising development in the shipping industry. Technologically it is believed to be possible, but there are several challenges that still need to be solved before autonomous shipping can become a reality. In this paper the main challenges for autonomous shipping are identified. This is done by taking the main functions of the ship and combining them with the crew tasks. That way it is possible to identify where problems occur when the crew is no longer on board. Combining the challenges found with prior research on autonomous shipping leads to three elements into which little to no research has been conducted. However, they are important for the operation of an autonomous ship. The elements that need to be further investigated are; navigation and situational awareness, ship-to-ship communication, physical intervention of the crew on the ship and its systems, and maintenance and repair.
