Shore-to-ship drone delivery service

The Agency by Air ship-to-shore delivery service will pilot the delivery of spare parts, documents, water test kits and 3D printed consumables via Airbus’ Skyways unmanned air system (UAS) to vessels at anchorage.

“When we announced last year that we were pursuing drone delivery, we were greeted with a fair amount of scepticism, but our collaboration with Airbus, shows we really do mean business,” said Marius Johansen, VP Commercial, Ships Agency at Wilhelmsen Ships Service.

“Confident drones will become a game changer in the agency and logistics business in the not too distant future.”

Vessel delivery

With the signing of a MOU at maritime trade show Posidonia, the Maritime UAS project agreement covers a joint ambition to establish a framework for cooperation between the parties, with the aim of investigating the potential deployment and commercialisation of UAS for maritime deliveries.

It marks for the very first time, the viability of autonomous drone delivery to vessels, which has been put to the test in hectic, real-world port conditions.

“As an outward looking company, eager to utilise technology to help improve our customers’ experiences, drone delivery is a perfect fit for our agency business,” added Mr Johansen.

“Delivery by drone is much more cost effective, quicker and frankly safer for all involved. Costing on average 90% less than launch boats, they importantly remove the risks inherently involved with making launch deliveries and also have negligible environmental impact.”

The project culminates over a year of planning and close collaboration between Wilhelmsen Ships Service and Airbus, involving the Singapore Maritime Port Authority and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore.

Initially, there will be a two-week pilot trial with deliveries to ships anchored in Singapore’s eastern anchorage.