Japanese transport operator Kokusai Ryobi Ferry has confirmed that one of its vessels was recently certified by the Japanese Government as a passenger ship fitted with an autonomous operating system.
The Ro-Pax ferry Olympia Dream Seto received the official certification last December 2025 following the completion of a series of demonstration sailings that began in June of that year.
Under the Meguri2040 project, which began in 2022 and is led by the Nippon Foundation, the ferry underwent a three-stage renovation at the facilities of local shipbuilders Kanda Dockyard and Fujiwara Shipbuilding.
The Nippon Foundation said eight organisations initiated the Meguri2040 project to address the issue of sustainability in coastal transport and shipping routes against the backdrop of an aging and contracting population.
The foundation said the ferry operating between Japan’s main island of Honshu and the island of Shodoshima had been particularly affected by this trend, and the project was done to to determine the viability of using autonomous navigation systems to maintain these remote island routes.
Autonomous navigation systems would reduce crews’ workloads, helping to maintain the frequency of service on routes and creating increased possibilities for nighttime navigation. The Nippon Foundation said this approach has been regarded as being able to contribute to the continued development of Japan’s almost 300 remote island routes.
The main feature of the development being carried out by the working group is the advanced capabilities being sought in collision avoidance functions and hull control functions for automated navigation in the crowded sea routes of the Seto Inland Sea, including berthing/un-berthing from narrow wharfs while maintaining a tight schedule.
In the development of the automated navigation system the consortium’s three manufacturers – Mitsubishi Shipbuilding, Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding, and Japan Marine Science – developed their respective collision avoidance functions. Through demonstration testing and operation, the three companies compared and mutually refined their functions with the aim of achieving high quality close to that of collision avoidance piloting carried out by a human crew.
The refit also included installation of cables connecting the bridge to the engine room, building a base for the console on the bridge, and installation of a reaction control system between the automated system and existing systems. The entire autonomous system was then installed on the ferry following additional testing on land.
In the hull control function development, the working group integrated Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding’s newly developed functions with commercially available control equipment for advanced manoeuvring when abruptly changing course or docking the bow or stern.
The ferry is also equipped to enable monitoring and support from land to achieve safe navigation. The cloud-based land support function developed by Furuno Electric makes it possible to reciprocally link an office on land with the ferry’s bridge, enhancing safety with seamless communication among the system, crew, and land-based operators.
In parallel with the system development, the renovation of the vessel proceeded with support from Kanda Dockyard, a renovation yard, and Fujiwara Shipbuilding, a shipbuilding yard.
The working group carried out the renovation of the ferry in three stages. The first stage, carried out in November 2023, involved careful preliminary preparations to build a foundation for the system’s installation including laying electrical cables from the bridge to the engine room and building a base for the console on the bridge.
In June 2024, the second stage involved the installation of a reaction control system located between the automated system and existing systems. The third stage, which was undertaken in June 2025, entailed installation of the entire automation system after testing on land to test navigation at sea.
The refit also included installation of cables connecting the bridge to the engine room, building a base for the console on the bridge, and installation of a reaction control system between the automated system and existing systems. The entire autonomous system was then installed on the ferry following additional testing on land.
The Nippon Foundation said Olympia Dream Seto is scheduled to commence commercial operations as an autonomous vessel by the end of March 2026. In the meantime, the ferry will sail on familiarisation voyages with embarked passengers and technical personnel.
The ferry's inaugural sailings as an unmanned vessel began on December 11 on the Okayama-Shodoshima route. Fully autonomous sailing without human intervention became possible in designated waters.
In the current financial year, the Meguri2040 project partners will begin retrofitting works on a Ro-Ro vessel and two containerships to determine the feasibility of installing similar autonomous navigation technology on other vessel types.