Leaders in Autonomous ShippingBy William Stoichevskiurther ahead than most is Trondheim- vastly more expensive options like crews and six-based Maritime Robotics, builder of ? gure day rates. A Maritime Robotics deal with unmanned surface vessels, or USVs. Seabed Geosolutions introduced the ? rst USV for FTheir designs already represent business in? eld seismic surveys, where typically gigantic streams: the 6 feet by 3 ft. catamaran Otter is vessels might represent too much “risk”. Other, tipped to be “mass produced” for ? sh-farm opera- science-based clients have needed water-analysis, tions; the Mariner is available for offshore survey wind, inspection or survey work.and supply. Both vessels are in-? eld, data-acqui- The larger Mariner — an enclosed RIB-like sition “platforms” that save money by replacing vessel built locally — can acquire data for mili-Credit: Maritime Robotics22 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • DECEMBER 2017MR #12 (18-25).indd 22 MR #12 (18-25).indd 22 12/6/2017 11:56:56 AM12/6/2017 11:56:56 AM