Navtor To Develop ‘Shorebased Bridges’ Solution For EU Autonomous Vessel Project

The EU has tapped Egersund, Norway- based Navtor AS to investigate how “shore-based bridges” can help the organization move toward the adoption of autonomous vessels.

Navtor, a global e-navigation technology and services company, will represent the maritime industry in the three-year ENABLE project, which is intended to prove, verify and validate the safety of autonomous vehicles in Europe. The project was originally proposed by the automobile industry, but the EU broadened its scope to include all methods of transport, including ships.

Navtor’s technology connects vessels and shore-based facilities worldwide to optimize routes, safety, efficiency and overall fleet management.

“It’s an honor to be selected as the sole representative for our industry,” Bjørn Åge Hjøllo, Navtor’s e-navigation project manager, said in a statement. “The opportunity to work alongside established leaders in analogous transport sectors— learning from them, sharing knowledge and collaborating for new technical solutions—really is ‘once in a lifetime.’”

Navtor will focus on testing the software element of a remote bridge concept. The company will engage in continuous data sharing between vessels and land, with key navigation functions migrating from the crew to office-based teams. Shore-based bridges will not be central to the day-to-day operation of autonomous vessels, but will be a vital part of their support infrastructure, allowing those onshore to take charge of individual ships when necessary.

“We believe autonomous vessels will be a reality within the next 10 to 15 years,” Hjøllo said. “Shore-based bridges will be a vital part of realizing that vision. Other Enable participants include IBM, Philips Medical Systems, Renault, Tieto and Siemens.

DEME Launches Advanced Subsea Cable Installation/Trenching Vessel

Zwijndrecht, Belgium-based DEME said it launched the world’s most advanced subsea cable installation and trenching vessel, Living Stone, Sept. 18 at the LaNaval shipyard near Bilbao, Spain.

The vessel is equipped with two turntables below deck, each with a 5,000-ton cable capacity. Together the turntables can transport more than 200 km (124 miles) of cable that can be installed in a single trip. The 3,500-sq-m (37,674-sq-ft) deck allows deployment of a revolutionary cable handling system with innovative cable handling tools for cable ends, connections and cable protection systems.

Living Stone also can be equipped with a third carousel above deck with an additional load capacity of 2,000 tons, as well as a 600-ton crane. The system, developed by Tideway, enables the ship to install cables faster and more efficiently in longer lengths and with fewer offshore joints than any vessel in its class.

The vessel will be assigned transport and installation projects as well as offshore power cable installations, interconnectors for the future European Supergrid and other projects.

Living Stone features dynamic positioning 3 capability and, as an environmentally friendly vessel with a 100-person crew, operates dual fuel engines with LNG as its prime fuel. The ship has a Green Passport and the Clean Design Notation awarded to owners and operators who design and operate vessels with an environmentally sustainable approach.

Osbit Delivers 2 Subsea Systems For Modus AUV

Northumberland, U.K.-based Osbit delivered two bespoke subsystems—a floating launch dock and a sea parking garage—to Modus for use with an AUV. The new equipment was designed and manufactured to meet launch and recovery requirements for the Modus Saab Sabertooth hybrid AUV, a lightweight underwater platform for survey, inspection and other light intervention tasks.

The floating launch dock, which can be used when the AUV is either tethered or untethered, enables the operator to deploy the vehicle and return it to the deck of the ship. The dock is submerged in the sea as the AUV leaves and returns, and partially fills with air to allow collection from the water surface. The subsea parking garage protects the AUV when it is not operational and allows the operator to deploy the AUV at a specific location without having to maintain a presence there. When it has completed its automated tasks, the AUV returns to the garage and safely awaits recovery at a time convenient for the operator.

“The ability of our team to deliver bespoke subsystems for AUVs and other submersible vehicles shows Osbit’s skill in working at the cutting edge of subsea technologies,” Osbit Managing Director Brendon Hayward said in a prepared statement. “Advancements in automation are crucial to the energy industry and its supply chain’s drive for efficiency, which in turn are key to its longterm sustainability.”

—Joseph Markman