Maritime
Maritime
Australian safety authority to use ROVs to search for containers lost from ship
On Nov. 8, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) signed a contract to begin operating remotely operated underwater vehicles, or ROVs, to investigate the containers lost from the YM Efficiency container ship.
The ship lost dozens of cargo containers in the summer due to a massive storm. In July, the ship’s insurer, Aus Ship, and operator, Yang Ming, conducted survey operations in the area and located approximately 37 containers, but there have been delays in further search operations as a result of weather and sea conditions. An analysis by AMSA of the completed surveys indicates that there are as many as 42 containers still missing.
Kongsberg Maritime selects Leclanche to provide batteries for its autonomous vessels
Kongsberg Maritime has selected battery company Leclanché as its battery partner and supplier of customized marine energy storage platforms.
Through the partnership, Leclanché will be an asset to Kongsberg’s new generation of hybrid power platforms, which includes “cutting-edge autonomous and crewed vessel newbuilds.”
“The partnership between Kongsberg Maritime, one of the world’s leading providers of electrification solutions to the maritime industry and Leclanché has the potential to be game changing as it brings low and zero-emission solutions to the sizeable and fast growing electric and hybrid marine market,” explains Anil Srivastava, CEO of Leclanché.
Ocean Infinity orders five Kongsberg Maritime HUGIN AUVs
Ocean Infinity has placed three separate orders for a total of five Kongsberg Maritime HUGIN AUVs, which will increase the company’s inventory to 15.
According to Kongsberg, the AUVs are equipped with the latest generation Kongsberg Maritime HISAS 1032 synthetic aperture sonar, which gives Ocean Infinity a total of six HUGIN AUVs in its fleet that have the ability to deliver high resolution imaging.
“We are pleased to continue to support Ocean Infinity’s operations and value the confidence placed in the HUGIN AUV,” comments Thomas Nygaard, vice president Marine Robotics, Kongsberg Maritime.
AeroVironment to provide allied nation in U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibility with its Puma AE II UAS
AeroVironment will provide an allied nation in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) area of responsibility with its RQ-20B Puma AE II small UAS, training and support, after receiving a $3,228,856 firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
The anticipated delivery date of this technology and services is by March 30, 2019.
UAVOS completes development of USV
UAVOS has completed the development of a USV. The towing vehicle is designed to deliver a refueling hose to the land in remote and offshore locations beyond inhabited areas.
The USV will serve as an alternative to manned boats, which often times can’t come near the coast due to strong waves or other natural factors, UAVOS notes. UAVOS says that its USV is built to address the issue of delivering fuel or cargo to hard-to-reach coastal areas.
Elbit Systems to offer its Hermes 900 Maritime Patrol UAS for maritime UAS patrol services in Europe
Elbit Systems Ltd. has been awarded a framework contract to provide maritime UAS patrol services, which will be provided by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) to countries in the European Union.
The contract will be executed in cooperation with a leading engineering company in Portugal called CEiiA. The contract is for a two-year base period and two single year option periods. If fully ordered, the contract will have a total value of approximately $68 million.
Textron Systems plans to acquire robotics developer Howe & Howe Technologies
Textron Systems is positioning itself as a global leader in autonomy across the air, land and sea domains, after entering into a letter of intent to purchase Howe & Howe Technologies Inc., a developer of advanced robotic land vehicles.
Built and proven for the most extreme conditions in the world, Howe & Howe’s vehicles have earned the trust of customers in the U.S, as U.S. government customers have selected Howe & Howe’s small, highly mobile Ripsaw Super Tank for its speed, mobility and off-road performance, while Howe & Howe’s RS2-H1 SMET was down-selected to compete to be the U.S. Army’s first platoon load-carrying robot, after completing a 60-mile test through swamp and jungle terrains.