MOL Enhances Function of AR Navigation System to support Vessel Navigation
-Enhancement Helps Navigators Avoid Dangerous Shallow Areas-
March 08, 2021
TOKYO-Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL; President & CEO: Junichiro Ikeda) today announced an upgrade to the AR navigation system (Note 1), jointly developed with Furuno Electric Co., Ltd. (President: Yukio Furuno; Headquarters: Nishinomiya-shi, Hyogo Prefecture), that enables the system to automatically display borders between deep-sea areas where vessels can navigate safely and shallower areas that may pose risks.
The previous system required manual setting to display shallow areas, but this upgrade allows for automatic full-time display of the Safety Contour in red, yellow, or orange (users can set the arbitrary color that they can easily scent the risk), supporting the navigators’ situation awareness visually.
The AR navigation system has already been installed on 24 MOL-operated very large crude carriers (VLCCs) (Note 2). MOL plans to expand the installation of the system to more vessels in the future, and is proceeding with trials on ships in its energy transport fleet including LNG carriers, as well as dry bulkers.
MOL continually positions safety as a top priority, and takes a proactive stance in development and improvement of products, including this AR navigation system, which contributes to the safety of marine traffic, with the aim of earning customers’ continued trust and becoming their first choice for shipping and logistics services.
(Note 1)
The AR Navigation System provides visual support to crewmembers during their watch-keeping and ship operations by using Augmented Reality (AR) technology to superimpose images taken from the bridge and voyage information.
For more information on the system, please refer to the December 26, 2017 press release:
MOL Jointly Develops Voyage Information Display System Using AR Technology that Will Lead to Autonomous Ships in the Future - Supporting Ship Operation and Watch-keeping to Enhance Safety -
(Note 2)
April 22, 2019 press release:
MOL to Install AR Navigation System on 21 VLCCs - Supporting Watch-keeping and Ship Operation during Voyages to Ensure World-leading Level of Safety -