Last month the Mayflower Autonomous Ship, a 15m trimaran, left Plymouth in the UK on a pioneering voyage – an unmanned transatlantic crossing powered by solar energy and artificial intelligence.

Supported by an impressive consortium which includes IBM and M Subs (a Plymouthbased submarine manufacturer) the project’s led by Promare, a marine research organisation. It’s also received investment from tech heavyweights such as Rolls-Royce, Honeywell, ABB and Wartsila.

The technology for safe navigation at sea uses algorithms and computer vision.

While pilotless drones and driverless cars are already common, experts believe autonomous shipping is on the verge of a breakthrough.

“Doing this on a ship is infinitely easier than in a car,” says Brett Phaneuf, president of M Subs and the driving force behind the Mayflower project. In principle, autonomous technology is better-suited to marine transport than road or air.”

Those involved in the initiative point out that with lower speeds, less risk of collisions on the open ocean and detailed mapping of hazards, robot ships could reshape the industry. In addition to dispensing with human crew, autonomous vehicles offer other advantages – they can navigate around the clock without resting.

A number of ‘crewless projects’ are already in progress. Amsterdam, for example, is developing autonomous boats to ferry people and collect rubbish, while unmanned electric freight barges are being developed to exploit the Low Countries’ extensive canal system. In Norway and Finland, autonomous passenger ferries are already in operation.

This year’s 3,220-mile trip by the Mayflower Autonomous Ship also marks the 400th anniversary of the original Mayflower crossing in 1620.