Page 40: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (July 2020)

auTonoMous sHips

THE MARITIME

INDUSTRY’S GLOBAL

New Autonomous guard vessel

INFORMATION

Photo: C-Job

Concept Design for Ofshore Wind

GATEWAY

The concept design of an Autonomous Guard process of securing an offshore area while incor-

Vessel (AGV) – touted to ‘revolutionize the off- porating sustainable solutions and reducing overall shore industry’ – was created by a consortium of cost.” maritime companies. Designed to be smaller and Some key characteristics of the proposed vessel lighter, with lower operating costs premised on include: the subtraction of crew, the AGV came to life in a • Unmanned, Self-righting project group facilitated by LISA, a community for • Battery-powered: 12 hours of continuous opera- maritime professionals. The project group resulted tions would require 174 kWh battery capacity. in a consortium, which includes C-Job Naval Archi- Alternative options are being explored, too.

tects, SeaZip Offshore Service, Sea Machines and • Solar panels across the top to ensure continua- recently joined by MARIN and eL-Tec elektrotech- tion of navigation and communications in case niek BV. the batteries run out of power

The Autonomous Guard Vessel is specifcally • Dimensions 11.7 x 2.07 x 1.5m; Draft: 0.55 m designed for surveillance of offshore structures • Max. interception speed: 15 knots throughout their life cycle, ranging from wind farms • Search and Rescue (SAR) modus Life raft on- to substation platforms and cable routes. With any board which can be deployed in emergencies area that needs to be secured, the AGV can con- • Full AGV able to be stored and transported in a tinuously monitor nearby marine traffc visually as 40 ft. container.

well as via radar and AIS data. • In addition to protecting offshore structures, “Guard vessels perform an essential job, how- the Autonomous Guard Vessel could also be ever, it is not the most exciting one for crew,” said deployed for surveillance of cable/pipe laying

Pelle de Jong, Founding Partner LISA. “Combined operations, mitigation of piracy activities, and with the fact that conventional guard vessels are illegal fshing; Sustainable aquaculture; fsh, mostly outdated and thus aren’t necessarily the crustaceans, mollusks, aquatic plants, algae, most comfortable let alone sustainable, it can be and other organisms, border protection (Coastal diffcult to fnd well-trained crew willing to do the surveillance), frefghting operations, line han- job. The group set out to improve upon the overall dling in port, subsea route survey, etc.

40 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • July 2020 www.MarineLink.com