The next generation of ocean transport
Ladon Robotics is developing autonomous cargo ships powered by the wind and sun. Our combination of wind power, solar power, automation, and swarm logistics allow us to provide revolutionary cargo services.
Wind and Solar Power
The core of the Ladon Robotics innovation is the combination of wind and solar power to drive a cargo ship. We catch the wind with large wingsails, similar to those used on many of the world’s fastest sailing yachts. Unlike those vessels, we coat our wingsails with advanced solar cells to charge batteries that drive us onward when the wind dies and provide the energy needed for harbor and cargo operations. Conventional cargo ships can spend up to half of their operating expenses on fuel alone.
Automation
Each vessel will plan its own route and guide itself from dock to dock under the watchful eye of a human, either on shore or aboard. This allows us to reduce the crew on each vessel, enabling us to argue cargo service with a frequency and responsiveness that is not possible with conventional vessels.
Swarm Logistics
This elimination of fuel costs and reduction of labor costs opens up a new vista in shaping our fleets and matching capacity to demand. Instead of building a small number of enormous ships as conventional shipowners are increasingly driven to do, we will build swarms of smaller vessels. The advantages of swarms lie in their flexibility and frequency of service. Unlike conventional cargo liner services, which may sail once a week or less on a small and shrinking number of routes, our vessels sail several times a day on almost any route that customers need, and with exactly the capacity required.