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Are Drone Cargo Ships the Next Step in Supply Chain Automation?

Rolls Royce Drone Ships

Ahoy, robots!

The $375 billion shipping industry, which carries 90% of world trade, is next in line for drones to take over—at least, that’s what Rolls-Royce Holdings is betting on. The London-based engine manufacturer’s Blue Ocean development team has already set up a virtual-reality prototype in its Norwegian office that simulates 360-degree views from a vessel’s bridge.

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The company hopes these advanced camera systems will eventually allow captains in control centers on land to direct crewless ships. The E.U. is funding a $4.8 million study on the technology, and researchers are preparing a prototype for simulated sea trials next year.

“A growing number of vessels are already equipped with cameras that can see at night and through fog and snow—better than the human eye, and more ships are fitted with systems to transmit large volumes of data,” said one Rolls-Royce spokesperson. “Given that the technology is in place, is now the time to move some operations ashore? Is it better to have a crew of 20 sailing in a gale in the North Sea, or say five people in a control room on shore?”

Crew costs of $3,299 a day account for about 44% of total operating expenses for a large container ship, industry accountant and consultant Moore Stephens LLP told Bloomberg News. By loading more cargo and replacing the bridge and other systems that support the crew, such as electricity, air conditioning, water and sewage, ships can cut costs and boost revenue, claims Oskar Levander, Rolls-Royce’s vice president of innovation in marine engineering and technology. The ships would be 5% lighter before loading cargo and would burn 12% to 15% less fuel, he reported.

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Unmanned ships would require captains to operate them remotely and people to repair and unload them in port, but the lack of crew at sea could change the landscape of piracy. Without people to take hostage, the risks would greatly reduce—as would the need for for kidnap and ransom insurance premiums. The material being transported, however, could be even more vulnerable without a human line of defense.

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Further, the remote operating system opens the door to digital hijacking from hackers or cybercriminals.

Currently, human error—most notably tied to fatigue—causes most maritime accidents, according to Allianz. But, as the 600,000-member International Transport Workers’ Federation is quick to point out, humans are also the first line of defense in a field plagued by unpredictable conditions. “The human element is one of the first lines of defense in the event of machinery failure and the kind of unexpected and sudden changes of conditions in which the world’s seas specialize,” Dave Heindel, chairman of the ITF’s seafarers’ section, told Bloomberg Businessweek.

Drone cargo ships would represent the latest part of a rapidly automating supply chain. As Wired pointed out, as customers’ desire for ever-more-instant gratification mounts and companies like Amazon find ways to drastically cut shipping costs with technology, consumer pressure may make this too tempting a development to pass up.

New Year, New Natural Disaster Emergency Plans

Along with January renewals and analyzing whether existing policies offer sufficient coverage, the new year is a perfect reminder to review company-wide emergency plans. While 2013 may have been a relatively light year for catastrophe losses, there’s no reason to assume 2014 will be, too.

Check out this infographic from Boston University’s Masters in Specialty Management program for a jump-start on identifying the risks of natural disaster and updating plans for how to handle any emergency:

Survive a Natural Disaster

 

Plan Ahead for Holiday Party Risks

Holiday office parties are a good opportunity to bring employees together, but they present potential risks for organizations. With social media added to the mix, even slight misconducts can be amplified if they go viral. What might have been an embarrassment handled quietly by a company can quickly become a reputation issue.

According to an article by Lloyd’s, the addition of social media “can seriously impair a company’s ability to manage a crisis,” said Eric Alter, Risk Consultant at Marsh Ltd.

“Social media and business entertainment can be a challenging mix—whether it is a sales conference, awards dinner or a Christmas party—the use of social media in the work environment has to be carefully considered,” he said, adding that websites like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram enable almost instant sharing of information, but even email can cause problems. An employee intending to send a funny email to a coworker, for example, could accidentally send it to clients.

Steve Adcock, Underwriting Manager at QBE Europe observed that alcohol can lead to a heightened risk of inappropriate comments, behavior or even assault. “People can lose their inhibitions and may not think about what they say or do,” he said. “Employees will not always get along at the Christmas party. Disagreements can lead to hurt feelings through to a potential assault.”

Paul Griffin, Head of Employment and Labor at international law firm, Norton Fulbright cautioned that an employer is liable for the wrong doings or injuries of their employees, unless they can show they have taken all reasonable steps to prevent them.

To protect themselves and their employees, organizations need to advise staff attending a party that the usual company rules still apply, Alter advised. “A company policy should make it clear that any event that is associated with work should be treated as work, and that the social media policy continues to apply.”

OneBeacon Professional Insurance noted in “A Guide to Minimizing Risk at Company Holiday Parties,” that because of the infrequency of company-sponsored holiday events, liability risks are often overlooked. Concerns such as liquor consumption, premises safety and security, discrimination and food borne illness are just a few of the issues that need to be addressed to help prevent injuries or even harassment.

According to the report, any accidents or injuries occurring at company events may be considered work-related and could possibly be subject to workers compensation.

To help avoid safety mishaps OneBeacon advises:

• When using a venue away from the office, inspect it to ensure it meets safety standards. Note exits, emergency lighting and whether there is flooring to prevent slips and falls, particularly if there is a chance of bad weather.

• Consider the effects that weather may have on safe travel to and from the party. Special considerations may be needed to keep sidewalks and parking lots clear if the event is outside of normal business hours.

• Think about potential security needs, especially if the event is in an unfamiliar neighborhood or of the venue is closed to the general public.

• Keep an eye on party-goers to ensure that no one wanders off or goes to a car or parking garage alone after dark.

• Have an emergency plan in place in case someone is injured or needs medical assistance. Find out the location of the closest hospital and whether anyone can perform CPR or use a defibrillator.

• Review situations for employees with disabilities who may require special attention. For example, if a disabled employee must use a wheelchair, check that there is a safe entrance, navigate the event and know how to deal with a possible emergency.

Disaster Losses Down From 2012

Windstorm Xaver: Model shows a large area of high winds in the lower atmosphere pushing waters of the North Sea into the coasts around western Europe.

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Courtesy WeatherBELL Analytics.

Natural catastrophes and man-made disasters worldwide reached $44 billion in insured losses in 2013—down from $81 billion in 2012, according to a Sigma preliminary report by Swiss Re.

The study found that total economic losses from disasters in 2013 totaled $130 billion and 25,000 lives were lost. Hurricane Haiyan alone, which hit the Philippines in November with record-breaking winds, claimed more than 7,000 lives. In 2012 total economic losses were $196 billion and 14,000 lives were lost.

Flooding in central and Eastern Europe in June 2013 created overall losses of $18 billion, with insured losses estimated at $4 billion, according to the report.

In the United States, severe spring and autumn weather spawned thunderstorms and deadly tornadoes.

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While this caused devastation of personal and commercial properties and heavy losses to the insurance industry, the 2013 North Atlantic hurricane season proved to be benign, the report found.

Alberta, Canada in June experienced flooding caused by heavy rains. Insured losses were about $2 billion—the highest ever recorded in the country for any disaster.

The most costly insured catastrophe losses in 2013

Date Insured losses
(US $B)
Economic losses
(US $B)
Event Country
1 June 4.1 18.0 Floods Germany, Czech Republic
2 July 3.4 3.8 Hailstorm Andreas Germany, France
3 June 1.9 4.8 Floods Canada
4 May 1.8 3.2 Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes US
5 March 1.6 2.2 Thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail US
6 May 1.4 2.0 Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, large hail US
7 October 1.4 2.7 Windstorm Christian Germany, Denmark
8 April 1.1 1.6 Snow storm, ice, tornadoes, heavy rains US
9 December 1.0 1.4 Windstorm Xaver UK, Denmark
10 January 1.0 1.5 Floods caused by Cyclone Oswald Australia

Swiss Re Sigma preliminary estimates