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Olympia Dream Seto autonomous passenger ferry
Olympia Dream Seto - World's first commercial passenger ferry with Level 4 autonomous navigation capabilities
January 20, 2026

A World First: FURUNO‑Equipped Level‑4 Autonomous Passenger Ship Begins Commercial Operations

FURUNO (Headquarters: Nishinomiya City, Hyogo Prefecture, President & CEO: Yukio Furuno) has achieved a historic milestone in maritime technology as part of the MEGURI2040※1 unmanned ship project led by The Nippon Foundation. The passenger ferry "Olympia Dream Seto," owned by Kokusai Ryobi Ferry Co., Ltd., has become the world's first regular passenger service to begin commercial operations using Level 4 autonomous navigation functions※3, following successful completion of national ship inspections※2 on December 5, 2025.

Historic Maritime Achievement

With approximately 400 inhabited remote islands in Japan facing challenges in maintaining vital transportation routes, ship automation is expected to support crew shortages and maintain essential connections, ensuring stable transportation of people and goods for island residents.

FURUNO's Contribution to MEGURI2040

FURUNO has been participating in MEGURI2040 since Stage 1. In the current Stage 2, we are involved in three projects, developing autonomous navigation systems and onshore support centers, playing a key role in unmanned ship technology development and social implementation.

Our autonomous navigation system, developed based on the standardization design philosophy targeted in MEGURI2040 Stage 2, has achieved standardized interface design and implementation between systems. We have successfully demonstrated the system's versatility by switching between different partner systems while maintaining autonomous navigation functions on the "Olympia Dream Seto," proving our system's compatibility with various manufacturers' equipment for autonomous operations.

DFFAS+ Consortium structure
FURUNO autonomous navigation system
FURUNO's autonomous navigation system enabling standardized interface design and implementation

FURUNO will continue to engage with MEGURI2040 to address various social challenges in Japan's domestic shipping industry, including labor shortages, workload reduction, maritime accident prevention, and maintaining remote island transportation routes.

Technical Notes

※1 MEGURI2040 Unmanned Ship Project "Technology Development Grant Program for Social Implementation of Unmanned Ships" - A grant system supporting technology development to promote the practical application of unmanned ships, fostering further momentum in this field and ultimately promoting transformation of Japan's logistics and economic/social infrastructure. The DFFAS+ (Designing the Future of Fully Autonomous Ships Plus) consortium comprises 53 diverse domestic companies working on unmanned ship technology development.

Reference: https://www.nippon-foundation.or.jp/what/projects/meguri2040
※2 National Ship Inspection To conduct commercial operations as an autonomous ship, vessels must pass national ship inspections as defined by regulations (National Maritime Safety Agency No. 40 and National Maritime Inspection No. 100-2). This inspection is conducted in two stages: Olympia Dream Seto passed Stage 1 inspection in July 2025 and has now successfully completed Stage 2 inspection.

Reference: https://www.mlit.go.jp/maritime/content/001899782.pdf
※3 Level 4 Autonomous Operations Equivalent A technology stage enabling partial fully autonomous navigation. This refers to complete autonomous operation without human intervention under specific areas or conditions. (Ship autonomous operation definitions are currently under discussion at IMO and other organizations; automotive definitions are used for convenience.)

Reference: https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001226541.pdf

Contributing to Sustainable Development Goals

Through our business activities, FURUNO promotes initiatives that contribute to achieving the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals). Our efforts in digital technology utilization and technology development for realizing unmanned ships contribute to achieving sustainable society goals.

SDG Goals
SDG Goals

Related Resources (Japanese Only)

July 18, 2024 (FURUNO): MEGURI2040 Unmanned Ship Project - World's First "Onshore Support Center" Completed for Remote Navigation Support of Multiple Vessels
https://www.furuno.co.jp/news/general/general_category.html?itemid=1525&dispmid=1017

July 25, 2023 (FURUNO): Participation in Stage 2 of The Nippon Foundation's Unmanned Ship Project for Social Implementation
https://www.furuno.co.jp/news/general/general_category.html?itemid=1356&dispmid=1017

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