Utilizing of the quality function deployment (QFD) to analyze the effects of using autonomous vessels on maritime shipping factors

Abstract

The maritime sector has seen a significant digital shift and technical advances related to the design and development of unmanned ships. Autonomous cargo ships, also known as maritime autonomous surface ships (MASS), are crewless vessels that transport either containers or bulk cargo over navigable waters with little or no human interaction. Applying third and fourth generation of full autonomous vessels will be expected to improve maritime navigation in the future.This paper attempts to give a complete view of the development of autonomous vessels by exploring the long-term effects of using unmanned or fully autonomous vessels on regulations, technologies and shipping industries that reflect the new paradigm in the shipping industry. The effects of Maritime Autonomous Surface Ship (MASS) implementation of the maritime shipping factors will be analyzed based on a Quality Function Deployment (QFD) Decision model that demonstrates global maritime shipping behavior through implantation of MASS.The research paper results indicated the most important factors and criteria, in order of importance, in the recent trends in the development of autonomous vessels. The safety requirements in operating ports, cyber security from hacking risks, legal approval and ethical issues, cost implications, and maritime recruitment are some of the most important factors to consider, adopting such technological development for maritime shipping. Received: 06 August 2023 Accepted: 10 October 2023 Published: 12 December 2023

Keywords

• qfd- port selection criteria- multicriteria decision making - task oriented weighting - intelligent decision support - autonomous ships - maritime autonomous surface ships (mass)