Page 74: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 2016)

TECH NOTES

Mega move of 22.5-m-long structure

World’s Largest Underwater Restaurant Ships Off he acrylic and steel structure for the world’s biggest underwater

Trestaurant is on its way to the

Maldives, courtesy of GAC’s project logistics. The restaurant, complete with its 13-meter-high stairwell, is heading for the new resort Hurawalhi, where it will offer guests an underwater dining experience with panoramic views of

New Autonomous surrounding marine life, including re- planted corals, when it opens in August

Control System 2016. Food will be prepared on land, then transported to the 24 guests waiting

Sea Machines Robotics of Cam- in the dining area further below sea level bridge, Mass. announced the release than any other underwater restaurant in of its Autonomous Control System the world. It took 12 months of detailed (ACS), an advanced vessel control planning based on GAC’s CAD-assisted system which converts manually pi- lifting and lashing calculations to pre- loted hulls to self-piloted Unmanned pare the structure’s voyage. The ? rst

Surface Vessels (USVs). It is de- stage involved transporting the 410-met- signed to be integrated into compa- ric-ton load 8 km by road quickly, safely ny-developed Sea Machine USVs or and without incident from the construc- other commercial production hulls. tion company’s yard at New Plymouth

The ACS allows for seamless transi-

Photo: GAC in New Zealand to Port Taranaki.

tion between unmanned and manned

The restaurant was lifted onto a operations and can be integrated into 200-wheel trailer with the help of four loads, and 12 hours later, it was lifted ing, securing and protection of the load.

most OEM vessels, including work- trucks – two pulling, one pushing and a onto Jumbo Maritime’s vessel, the Fair- The entire operation was planned and boats, pleasure craft, launches, ? sh- fourth on standby for backup. The road lane, after just half an hour of prepara- overseen by Captain Per Thörnblom, ing vessels, survey boats, tugs and trip to the port started at 11 p.m., due tory procedures and two hours ahead of GAC’s Group Project Logistics Man- more.

to local traf? c regulations for heavy schedule. Next came the lashings, weld- ager.

Sea Machines ACS is currently be- ing offered for vessels up to 50 ft. in length but can be enhanced for larger craft operations. The system works with various propulsion and steering con? gurations including electric, gas/ diesel, diesel-electric, inboard, stern- drive and water jet.

The system incorporates water re- sistant (IP67) enclosures, with ac- tive liquid cooling, and industrial grade (-40° C to +85° C) components and PLC’s to allow for operations in harsh marine environments. Commu- nication capabilities include Marine

Broadband Radio and Hardened Wi? for Line of Site, high data rate appli- cations, and VSAT and Iridium anten- nas for Over the Horizon and back up capabilities. www.sea-machines.com

Images: Sea Machines Robotics 74 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • MARCH 2016

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