DO WE REALLY NEED A CAPTAIN AND CREW ON BOARD?

RADICAL IDEA--- a solution that gets to the ROOT of the problem (from radix, LATIN FOR "ROOT") --- REMOTELY-OPERATED CARGO SHIPS

Problems and Issues :

1. A shortage of trained, experienced, qualified, reliable shipboard crew
2. Modern pirates who board a ship at sea, seize control, and steal the cargo or hold the crew for ransom.
3. Wages are so high that --- even when a captain and crew can be found --- the
costs eat heavily into profits.
4. Containers have to be stacked so high that they become a hazard to the ship's Center of Gravity and the crew's line of sight.
5. No one thinks that anything is exceptional about sending drones (remotely-operated vehicles) into warfare, these days, containing huge, mankillng cargoes of explosives, in the air under the control of remotely situated operators (do they even call them "pilots" anymore, these days ?).
6. Naval architects have to build in large and expensive crew space, together with machinery to maintain comfortable interior conditions for them; food storage and preparation (galleys and dining rooms); and waste disposal .
7. ... and plan voyages to take crew requirements into account.
8.  and much more that we leave to your imagination, WHEN

If maritime ships were designed from initial concept to launching as

A. remotely controlled cargo carriers,

B. equipped with as many optical devices as necessary to maintain a safe watch

C. with complete remote sensing, recording, and control devices, and the necessary communications capability

D. with an Operator comfortably seated hundreds or thousands of miles away
     who will return to his or her comfortable suburban home at 5:00 p.m.

E. and be relieved by a second shift operator who will be fresh and alert, with no fatigue problems

F. with no danger of loss of life in the event of collision, alision, fire, or pirates

G. with resulting significantly reduced insurance premiums

and a host of other advantages.

Our guess is that pilots would still have to board and control the ship for difficult harbor and docking maneuvers, and other minor adjustments would have to be made. All in all, these are issues that can be handled and solved.

If we can entrust expensive, even irreplaceable, space vehicles to remote operation and control, why can't we consider the possibility for merchant vessels ? Is anyone currently working on this ?

SUBJECT TO RECEIPT OF INPUT, CONSIDERATION, AND ADJUSTMENT OF CONCEPT ; PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT .  We would entertain comments, thoughts, and even well-thought-out challenges to the idea. Of course, we would also be happy to receive comments supporting the notion.