Page 58: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2018)

Images / Renderings: CREDIT Kongsberg and RAL)

AN AUTONOMOUS FUTURE

Autonomy Arrives

Excitement. Controversy. Curiosity. Skepticism. These are just a few of thoughts, and emotions that arise to any mention of the topic of autonomous vessels.

By Joseph Keefe uturistic, remote-controlled marine mand, remote-controlled, TUCO Marine More recently, towboat operator KO- vehicles are not coming. They are built ? reboat. Marine ? re? ghting is an TUG demonstrated a remote controlled

F here. The advent of this technol- autonomous application that appears to tugboat over a long distance, from Mar- ogy has some stakeholders pleased have legs. seille, France to Rotterdam. A KOTUG at that prospect, but at the same time, captain took control of the tug via re- leaves others on the rulemaking and Sea-Machines also partnered with mote secured internet line and camera regulatory side equally apprehensive. Marine Spill Response Corporation images, all based in Marseille.

It’s a brave new world. (MSRC) to autonomously control a

Munson boat to deploy and tow a spill In July, a major development saw ship-

Happening Now collection boom working in tandem builder Metal Shark join forces with ASV

Ahead of the rulemaking process, with a 210-foot MSRC spill response Global to introduce “Sharktech” Au- autonomous technology providers al- vessel. In direct competition with Sea- tonomous Vessels. Metal Shark is now ready churn out not just prototypes and Machines, ASV Global is working on au- offering Sharktech autonomous technol- designs, but also countless workboats, tonomous projects with a similar focus. ogy on its entire portfolio of aluminum many already in service. ASV recently partnered with UK’s Peel vessels.

Ports Group to develop autonomous

Vancouver-based naval architects Rob- vessel technology for shallow survey Naval Architecture & ert Allan Ltd., and Kongsberg Maritime operations. the Regulatory Regime are collaborating on the development Not so fast. The devil is always in the of a remotely-operated ? reboat that will Another stakeholder, Florida-based details. For example, classi? cation allow ? rst responders to attack ? res SeaRobotics Corporation recently society ClassNK recently released its more aggressively and safer than ever delivered two 2.5 meter autonomous Guidelines for Concept Design of Auto- before. Separately, in Korsør, Denmark, unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) to mated Operation/Autonomous Opera-

Boston-based Sea Machines demon- the Canadian Hydrographic Service, a tion of ships. ClassNK isn’t the only strated the capabilities of its SM300 part of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, IACS member to address the advent of product aboard an autonomous-com- bringing the ? eet to four systems. autonomous vessels. Outgoing IACS

Pictured: The (Autonomous) Future of Marine Fire? ghting: Kongsberg & Robert Allan teamed on the RALamander 2000.

Maritime Reporter & Engineering News, October 2018 th

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