Cameras, microphones, radars, GPS, and all manner of satellite communications- this is what you will find in this new hi-tech ‘robotic’ ship built by the UK company that gives you a glimpse of the future. The 78-meter-long ship is part of the US-UK company Ocean Infinity (OI)’s new “Armada”.
“Armada” is a fleet of 23 vessels tasked with surveying the seabed for offshore wind farm operators and inspecting underwater infrastructure for the oil and gas industry, reports BBC.
Surprisingly, despite its length of 78 meters (255 feet), there are only 16 people on board this ship. A traditional ship doing similar work would usually require a crew of 40 or 50.
However, OI believes it can further reduce the number of crew members. Colin Field, the head of remote systems at OI told BBC: “We have added a lot of additional equipment and designed her especially to be what we call ‘robotic’.
The company’s remote operations centre in Southampton is like walking on to a futuristic film set. Operators sit in tall chairs and watch a row of screens showing live footage from the ship’s cameras and various sensors.
A crucial test for this new method is guiding an underwater robot, also known as a remotely operated vehicle (ROV), to go down from the deck and examine the ocean floor.
ROV trainee pilot Marian Meza Chavira said: “It’s amazing how everything is automated. In some ways it’s easier here than offshore because you have so many more cameras for context.”
Advancements in autonomy, robotics, remote operation, and artificial intelligence will significantly change how transportation systems operate.
This transformation will affect all sectors of transportation, including maritime activities.
Currently, there are ongoing experiments and initiatives worldwide to explore and implement these technologies in the maritime industry.
In Norway, for example, there’s an 80m (262ft) electric container ship running back and forth between a fertiliser plant and a local port.
In Belgium and Japan there are ferries autonomously navigating between destinations, berthing and unberthing at each location. And in China, too, big autonomous container ships shuttle between coastal cities.
