A much talked about technology, with obvious applications for the shipping industry, it is WSS' ships agency team, rather than the company's supply chain, or product divisions, which have been assessing the business opportunities offered by drones.

Marius Johansen, VP Business Solutions & Marketing, WSS Ships Agency explains, 'Whether it is deliveries of critical documents or vital medical supplies, tank inspections, or monitoring cargo and stockpile levels, we believe semi-autonomous drone flights can support and further enhance what our ships agency team can offer our customers'.

Adding, 'Relied upon by owners, operators, vessels and crew to get spare parts, medicine, documents, or cash to master where it needs to be at moment's notice, drone delivery is a natural extension of our existing agency service portfolio'.

Dispensing with the need for launch boats to deliver such essentials to vessels at anchorage, along with cutting delivery times, Johansen estimates drone flights will also slash costs. With launch vessels typically costing on average 1500USD, he suggests a drone delivery would eventually come down to costing just 150USD.

Launching a large scale working pilot project in one of the world's busiest ports in 2017, in spite of the complexity of global aviation rules and restrictions placed on unmaned aerial vehicles, for WSS drone delivery is very much here to stay.

Discussing the project for the duration of Nor-Shipping the WSS agency team will be on the Wilhelmsen stand, A1-7 in the Disruptive Sustainability hall.

Nor-Shipping 2017 takes place in Oslo and Lillestrøm, Norway, from 30 May to 2 June 2017.

About Wilhelmsen
Wilhelmsen is a global maritime industry group founded in 1861. We have the biggest maritime network in the world, with a presence in over 2 200 locations globally. We serve over half of the worldwide merchant fleet with products and services, and supply crew and technical management for some of the most complex vessels in the world. We also develop new and daring solutions, shaping the maritime industry for the future. Our investments seek to explore and develop new opportunities within the energy-, offshore- and maritime industry. With thousands of colleagues in more than 70 countries, we take competence, sustainability, innovation and unparalleled customer experiences one-step further.

For more information, please visit www.wilhelmsen.com Follow us on Twitter | Facebook | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube

Wilh. Wilhelmsen Holding ASA published this content on 18 May 2017 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 18 May 2017 10:03:22 UTC.

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