SHI Exhibits Power of Blockchain in Autonomous Ship Development

In the first of its kind for a shipyard, DNV has awarded a Statement of Fact (SoF) to Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) for applying blockchain technology to its own SAS (Samsung Autonomous Ship) and SVESSEL eLogbook data streams on an operating vessel.

The project was accomplished by interfacing SHI’s data stream and eLogbook with the VeChainThor blockchain to demonstrate the technology’s potential for secure data stream applications on ships.

The blockchain application for the SHI data stream pertains to Samsung Autonomous Ship’s navigation information, particularly the Collision Risk Index and Distance to the Closest Point of Approach. Also, the SVESSEL eLogbook satisfying IMO MEPC.312(74) were released via blockchain technology.
“The maritime industry is paying attention to cybersecurity as another key to the digital revolution of ships," said SHI’s Director of Ship and Offshore Research Institute, Vice President Dr. Dong Yeon Lee. "Blockchain technology is ground-breaking in data security for autonomous ships.”

SHI has developed an autonomous navigation system which integrates the current navigation system such as ECDIS, RADAR, autopilot with Track Control Function and BMS with the own developed 3D around-view vision system, SVISION. This system evaluates the collision risk around the vessel for the detected objects by AIS, RADAR and vision system, and controls the heading angle and speed of the vessel to avoid the objects.