Page 38: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (October 2020)

Feature | Port Security 2020 SHIPPING & PORT ANNUAL

Autonomous ANTX

AutoNaut “shepherding” the

Remus UUV during operations (the shepherding back to a safe zone was done mostly when the UUV was underwater).

Image: AutoNaut

Geophysical seismic surveys and port security may appear to have little in-common.

However, it turns out that managing complex marine seismic operations, where 10km- long seismic streamers have to be deployed harmoniously alongside other offshore marine assets, isn’t that dissimilar to managing – and protecting – port facilities.

By Elaine Maslin t’s an area that ION Geophysical, more known for seismic tionary war in 1775, as an example of a new threat – and how data acquisition technology, has recently been proving its metal hulls were a counter measure. “While threats to harbors expertise in, using its Marlin system for marine operations have evolved at a slow pace, we’re now in a period where

Imanagement. Dave Gentle, Vice President of Business De- there’s a rapid advance in autonomous systems, underwater velopment, spoke about the ? rm’s involvement in last year’s vehicles, where technology is improving and is more easily

ANTX (Advanced Naval Technology Exercise) in the U.S. – a available to people around the world,” he told the Marine and project which involved detecting and managing a diverse ar- Autonomous Technology Showcase event in Southampton late ray of assets, including potential security threats. last year. “It’s not a giant leap to imagine these vehicles can be

He says underwater threats are increasingly dynamic and di- repurposed to make explosive devices or be used for other de- verse and therefore increasingly challenging. Gentle recalls the vious ends.” To that end, focus on naval security has increased. use of an early submarine, the Turtle, in the American revolu- 38 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • October 2020

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