Chasing the X-Prize with AutonomyKongsberg supported GEBCO-NF Alumni Team to conduct Technology Readiness Test of unique AUV-USV concept Supported by Kongsberg, the GEBCO-NF Alumni Team, one of 19 semi-? nalist teams competing in the $7m Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE competition, completed Technology Readiness Tests of its Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV)/Au-tonomous Underwater Vessel (AUV) MOL, Rolls-Royceconcept and associated combination of communications hardware and Intelligent Awarenesssoftware to process and transmit data remotely. The test event was held on the fjord outside Kongs-berg’s factory in Horten, Norway. The Rolls-Royce, MOL CollaborateGEBCO-NF Alumni Team’s concept uses a SEA-KIT unmanned surface The maritime industry increasingly Kobe and Oita via the Akashi Kaikyo, a role. vessel, USV Maxlimer, built by moves towards autonomy, and Rolls- Bisan Seto and Kurushima Straits. The intelligent awareness system will Hushcraft in the U.K. USV Maxlimer Royce has been a major driver of the An intelligent awareness systems will bene? t from Rolls-Royce’s extensive performed as planned during the initiative globally. Rolls-Royce recently be deployed with the aim of making the experience in the Tekes funded project Technology Readiness Tests event, announced a deal with Japanese multi- vessel safer, easier and more ef? cient to Advanced Autonomous Waterborne Ap-where the team demonstrated the modal transport company Mitsui O.S.K. operate by providing crew with an en- plications Initiative (AAWA), which USV’s unique ability to launch and Lines (MOL), to collaborate in the de- hanced understanding of their vessel’s has been running since June 2015. The velopment of its intelligent awareness surroundings. company has been conducting a series system. This will be achieved by fusing data of tests of the sensor arrays in a range Speci? cally the initiative will be tri- from a range of sensors with informa- of operating and climatic conditions on aled onboard the 165-m passenger ferry tion from existing ship systems; such as board Finferries’ 65 metre double ended Sun? ower, owned and operated by Mit- Automatic Identi? cation System (AIS) ferry Stella, which operates between sui O.S.K. Lines’ subsidiary company, and radar. Data from other sources, in- Korpo and Houtskär in the Archipelago which makes the 222-nm run between cluding global databases, will also have Sea on the southwest coast of Finland.Kongsbergrecover a Kongsberg Hugin AUV, and track it accurately on the surface during subsea survey operations.KOTUG: Send in the DronesThe autonomous navigation and AUV tracking capabilities of the KOTUG applied for a patent to use company that uses the technology to ger line of the tug will be brought to the USV are made possible courtesy of drone technology in its tug operations, deliver a messenger line to a predeter- assisted ship in a more controlled man-the integration of the Kongsberg & an invention which uses a drone to con- mined location with object recognition ner, in theory allowing the tug to safely Hushcraft custom developed auto-nect the towline to an assisted vessel. software. Instead of picking up the heav- sail beside the assisted ship instead of in mation and software con? guration in conjunction with Kongsberg’s K-KOTUG claims to be the ? rst tugboat ing line of the assisted ship, the messen- front of the assisted ship.MATE common autonomous control engine. K-MATE will also be used by several unmanned and autonomous vessels delivered by Kongsberg Maritime, including the fully electric container feeder; YARA Birkeland. The autonomy controller has been developed in a collaboration be-tween Kongsberg Maritime and FFI, the Norwegian Defense Research The GEBCO-NF Alumni Team is led by alumni of The Nippon Founda-tion/General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) Postgraduate Certi? cate in Ocean Bathymetry Training Program. GEBCO is the only organization with a mandate to map the entirety of the world’s ocean ? oor. The partnership with The Nip-pon Foundation provided more than $3 million for the team’s concept to be developed. KOTUGwww.marinelink.com 51MR #1 (50-57).indd 51 MR #1 (50-57).indd 51 1/16/2018 3:41:23 PM1/16/2018 3:41:23 PM