Oil companies also want an autonomous ship

Sector´s auxiliary company Bourbon, with a ship in Vigo in this moment, boosts the first unity for this niche market.

Bourbon, support ship company for oil and gas sector, has boosted the creation of the first autonomous ship for this niche market. It has signed a MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) together with Automated Ships Ltd (ASL) in order to carry out Hrönn project in cooperation with Kongsberg.

This multinational company, which has chosen Vigo for providing shelter to his vessels last year and it still keeps some of them here, expects to find sufficient support to finance an efficient prototype building. 

The boat will be working for offshore industry, where Bourbon pretends to include not only the energy sector but also science and aquiculture. Moreover, it will be used for emergencies (such as fires for example) co-operating with crewed boats.

ASL is working on the design since November last year. It is based on a steel monocoque vessel in order to give more usable load capacity and a mayor flexibility within the wide operation range.Hrönn Project field tests will take place in a training area officially designated for autonomous vessels at Trondheim fiord, under DNV GL and Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) standards.

(Source: Faro de Vigo)