A year from now, an autonomous ship will set sail from Plymouth, UK, and attempt to cross the Atlantic Ocean, reports the Economic Times.
What is it?
The Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) will start its journey on September 6, 2020, to mark the 400th anniversary of the Pilgrim Fathers’ voyage to the new world.
Like its namesake, MAS will rely to some extent on favourable weather to complete its crossing as it will be powered by renewable energy technology. In 1620, the original Mayflower left Plymouth bound for Plymouth, Massachusetts, with 102 passengers and 30 crew. The ship took 66 days to cross the Atlantic.
Trimaran design
The vessel is designed by Whiskerstay Ltd (naval architects) and M Subs, both having experience of developing unmanned and manned marine vehicles. It will be a trimaran-style vessel with three research pods packed with modern monitoring equipment. While the hull is being constructed at a shipyard in Poland, the vessel will return to Plymouth in mid-2020, where the final outfitting and testing will be completed
Onboard equipment
The 15-meter long ship will be unmanned but will have marine AI on board and will be steered from a control room in Plymouth, Devon, where the original Mayflower set off from. MAS will also carry a research pod, including sensors and other equipment which scientists hope will pave the way for ground-breaking research into ocean conditions, marine pollution, and conservation, as well as autonomous navigation.
Autonomous Future
The project was conceptualized in 2014. Since then its Plymouth (UK)-based partners have been working on the design to ensure that it can survive the Atlantic Ocean. The vessel is being designed to be used beyond its first voyage and become a prototype for autonomous marine research and exploration in the future.
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Source: Economic Times
