Odfjell chairman Laurence Odfjell believes shipping should spend its energy on saving the planet rather than developing unmanned, autonomous ships.

Speaking at a webinar organised by the Norwegian Business Association in Singapore (NBAS), the chemical tanker owner said there were far more important matters the industry needed to address.

Reducing its carbon footprint and improving fuel efficiency were at the top of the list.

“So many things that we need to focus on are far more important than autonomous ships,” Odfjell said on Wednesday.

“Autonomous ships won’t save the planet.”

Odfjell believes that unmanned ships are unsuitable for much more than coastal craft and tugboats.

“Given the hostile environment of the sea, and the constant battle to maintain a ship, I just don’t see it. Certainly not for deepsea.

“I think we should spend our energy on saving the planet”.

Automation could play a large part in helping shipping reduce its carbon footprint and improve safety, Odfjell conceded, but he suggested these would assist crews rather than replace them.

“There are lots of interesting opportunities from a safety perspective, such as automated mooring and collision avoidance systems.

"We are getting a lot of efficiencies from today’s technology. It is not something that is high-threshold.”

Odfjell revealed that his company had improved its fuel efficiency by 30% since 2014, and was on course to reach its commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 50% by 2030 using available technology.

Norway and Singapore are at the forefront of the push for autonomous ships, with their governments investing heavily into the research and design of unmanned vessels.