Russia Pours $22 Million Into Building Autonomous Ships
The country is investing heavily in AI-powered navigation systems to make maritime transport safer, cheaper, and more advanced.
Russia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade has allocated more than 2 billion rubles ($22 million) to accelerate the development of autonomous ship technologies, Minister Anton Alikhanov announced this week. The initiative will fund the design of crewless vessels, with several research projects already under review by the nation’s top maritime institutes.
Officials say the move could transform Russian shipbuilding, cutting operating costs while boosting safety and environmental performance.
Part of a National Transport Modernization Effort
The project is part of the federal program “Production of Ships and Ship Equipment,” which falls under Russia’s national initiative “Industrial Support for Transport Mobility.” The ministry also plans to launch new leasing and subsidy mechanisms through the Industrial Development Fund in 2026, helping companies adopt autonomous technologies in ship manufacturing.
Russian engineers are already testing AI-driven navigation and control systems designed to help vessels operate safely with minimal human involvement. These systems could make water transport not only more efficient but also less vulnerable to human error.
The funding signals Russia’s ambition to build a “digital fleet of the future” — a new generation of smart, autonomous ships that could redefine the global maritime industry.
