Page 22: of Marine News Magazine (July 2021)

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Feature

Autonomous Workboats

Foss ASD 90 class tractor tug

Foss Maritime strator project proved the concept, the technology we have chines Robotics, for use aboard its tugboat Rachael Al- at our disposal today means that RECOTUG is no longer len, soon to be completed at the Nichols Brothers yard. a simple demonstrator project. Its aim is to provide Svitzer The Z-Drive tug- with 90-ton bollard pull, will be used with a commercially viable product that the company will for tanker escorts and towing in California ports. Accord- be able to use in its operations worldwide.” ing to Boston-based Sea Machines, its SM300 system

From the Svitzer side, Thomas Bangslund, group head includes “… transit autonomy, as well as remote access of innovation at Svitzer, added, “The original scope of the of the tugboat’s onboard machinery, a feature that allows pilot was to assess if the remote control technology would personnel to manage and support operations from any- allow us export situational awareness to an off-vessel loca- where on board the vessel or from shore,” adding that, tion, and in a way that the captain was comfortable op- “Navigation obstacle detection and avoidance capabilities erating the vessel. This proved the case and now we are come standard…” The tug, the last of four to be delivered challenging ourselves to develop a tug that we can operate from Nichols Brothers, is powered by two MTU series safely and ef? ciently from shore, down the line, poten- 4000 main engines, meeting Tier 4 emission standards, tially without a crew on board, so it’s a completely differ- coupled to US255 azimuth thrusters from Kongsberg.

ent ballgame.” Sea Machines is also making strides on the East Coast;

In the States, Foss Maritime will be installing an au- it has demonstrated an autonomous delivery of cargo from tonomous-command and -control system from Sea Ma- Boston, where it is based, to Gloucester- farther up the 22 | MN July 2021