Case Study: Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding achieves autonomous, centimeter‑accurate harbor navigation with Trimble

Trimble Precise Positioning Charts a Course for Success

Mitsui E&S Shipbuilding, a Japanese engineering firm specializing in marine design, faced a growing labor challenge: an aging population and a global seafarer shortage threatened the operation of small passenger ferries that connect remote islands. As part of the Nippon Foundation’s MEGURI 2040 initiative to enable practical autonomous ships by 2025, Mitsui sought a safe, sustainable way to operate vessels without onboard captains and reduce crew workload.

Mitsui partnered with Trimble, integrating the BX992 GNSS receiver with Trimble RTX corrections to provide continuous, centimeter-level positioning and heading in poor visibility and GNSS-challenged areas. In early 2020 a small passenger ship autonomously maintained a 1.3 km route between an outer island and the main island, demonstrating reliable berthing support; the compact, wall-mounted receiver and deck antennas are easy to install, and phase two testing is now underway across Japanese harbors.

Mitsui

Koh Murata

Manager of Development, Design