Research on the Development of Intelligent Ships and Smart Energy Management Technologies

With the maritime industry undergoing digital transformation and facing growing demands for automation, intelligent ships and smart energy management have become central to boosting operational efficiency, cutting fuel consumption, and reducing environmental impact. This paper first reviews the concept and system architecture of intelligent ships and surveys key technological advances in autonomous navigation, condition monitoring, and decision support. It then examines the architectural models of shipboard energy management systems, explores intelligent optimization algorithms, and outlines real-time control strategies. Drawing on representative application cases, the study evaluates both operational performance and economic returns. Finally, it discusses major challenges in engineering rollout, algorithmic reliability, and large-scale deployment, and looks ahead to emerging research directions and industry trends, offering theoretical underpinnings and practical guidance for the evolution of intelligent shipping and energy management.