Conditional Unmanned Bridge Concept for 325K VLOC: ABS, Polaris, HHI, AVIKUS Agreement - News and Statistics

Jun 18, 2026

Four maritime organizations have entered into a joint agreement to develop a concept for a conditional unmanned bridge on a large ore carrier. The source for this information is ABS.

Agreement Details

ABS, Polaris Shipping, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), and AVIKUS signed a four-party Concept Study Agreement. The initiative focuses on implementing a Conditional Unmanned Bridge on one of Polaris Shipping’s 325K Very Large Ore Carriers (VLOCs).

The concept does not involve fully unmanned operations for an entire voyage. Instead, it is a phased autonomous navigation approach where the bridge remains unmanned only under specific low-risk conditions, such as during open-ocean passages. Industry observers consider this the most realistic near-term form of autonomous shipping, aligning with the development of the IMO Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) Code.

Roles and Responsibilities

Under the agreement, Polaris Shipping will examine the operational profile of its 325K VLOC fleet and derive quantitative parameters based on real crew operations, including human response times. AVIKUS will define the operational concept for the autonomous navigation system required for an unmanned bridge, along with corresponding technical requirements. HHI will identify necessary vessel design modifications based on the resulting concept and review associated design drawings. ABS will independently review the concept from safety and regulatory perspectives, identify gaps against current regulations and standards, and consolidate the findings.

Executive Perspectives

Patrick Ryan, ABS Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, commented that the technical complexity lies not in any single system but in the interactions between autonomous navigation, vessel design, and conditions during unmanned bridge periods. He noted that ABS will apply a structured safety evaluation using hazard identification, functional safety analysis, and alignment with the IMO MASS Code.

DoHoon Kim, COO of Polaris Shipping, stated that the 325K VLOC, with its high proportion of open-ocean voyages, is a suitable target for the unmanned bridge concept. He added that the company plans to use real operational data to quantitatively define the boundary between human and automated operations.

Sangsik Yoon, Senior Vice President of HHI, indicated that implementing an unmanned bridge requires an integrated review across overall vessel systems. He said the agreement will help establish a vessel design direction that reflects autonomous navigation concepts.

Jaeho Kang, Co-CEO of AVIKUS, remarked that the unmanned bridge concept is expected to be the first form of autonomous shipping to enter the market under the IMO MASS Code framework. He added that the operational concept and technical requirements from this study will be reflected in further development of the company’s autonomous navigation system.

Next Steps

The four parties will refine the concept through iterative review from safety, design, and operational perspectives to address identified gaps. Final outcomes will be compiled in a Technical Publication, and technology gaps will be incorporated into each party’s autonomous navigation system and ship design roadmaps. Through this study, the organizations aim to build technical and operational readiness for an unmanned bridge, which they expect to be the first autonomous shipping concept to reach commercial deployment.

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