Peel completes autonomous vessel trial
(Posted on 28/03/21)
Peel Ports is the first Port group in the United Kingdom to take delivery of an autonomous unmanned survey vessel, which completed its first successful trial at Crosby Marine Lake, North of Liverpool last week.
Peel Ports offered Sefton Council the first trial of FITZROY’s services which provided hydrographic charts of Crosby Marine Lake, located a short distance from The Port of Liverpool. Its survey capabilities were able to provide valuable data of the lakebed which will feed into the upcoming planned dredging operations.
The trial also provided assurance to Peel Ports that the quality of the data is equal to that of previous surveys conducted by manned vessels.
Developed by L3 Harris and featuring pioneering technology, the 4.5m vessel, named FITZROY, weighs 1 tonne and carries multibeam sonar equipment capable of hi resolution seafloor mapping down to 100m.
It is designed to provide autonomous solutions to improve working efficiency on the water in order to gather data about the marine environment and can be used for hydrology research, scientific exploration, hydrographic survey, emergency search and rescue and other tasks. It uses GPS location tracking to follow pre-set waypoints and mission parameters, navigating autonomously while intelligently avoiding obstacles up to 50m ahead. The vessel communicates to the remote base station by WIFI, 4g and VHF radio.
Russell Bird, Deputy Group Harbour Master said “This recent investment show Peel Port’s commitment to innovation in the marine environment whilst reducing emissions and enhancing safety. The use of autonomous and remote vehicles is growing exponentially and we are delighted to be leading that charge in the Ports sector”
FITZROY’s remote capability presents many benefits including the removal of high-risk activities generally associated with crew working aboard small survey vessel in dynamic marine environments. Its compact features will also facilitate its transportation to the Group’s multiple port locations across the UK, and will make her maiden voyage to Great Yarmouth next week.
Latest News
Hamburg bulks show mixed trends
(Posted on 20/11/24)Throughput of bulk cargo at the Port of Hamburg has experienced a slight recovery over the course of... Read more
LAR in Angola reinforces transport capacity with new wagons
(Posted on 20/11/24)The Lobito Atlantic Railway (LAR) has taken an important step this week towards strengthening its transport... Read more
ABP’s Port of Hull welcomes two new build Eco Traders
(Posted on 13/11/24)The Port of Hull recently welcomed two new eco-friendly vessels built for charterer Ahlmark Lines AB... Read more
Port of Detroit awarded $24m by EPA for climate-friendly upgrades
(Posted on 12/11/24)The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in a historic move toward green infrastructure, has... Read more
Viterra signs deal with ABP in the Humber
(Posted on 12/11/24)Associated British Ports (ABP) and Viterra, one of the world leading grain marketers, have announce... Read more
New Managing Director at TBA Doncaster
(Posted on 04/11/24)From 1st November, TBA’s Doncaster division has a change of leadership.Responsible for the bulk... Read more
Port of Vancouver USA grant to deploy and expand clean energy infrastructure
(Posted on 31/10/24)The Port of Vancouver USA has announced it has been awarded a $22.5 million grant by the U.S. Environmental... Read more
ABP acquires land to fuel future growth
(Posted on 31/10/24)Associated British Ports (ABP) has acquired 21 acres of land on the western side of the Port of Immingham... Read more
MoU to explore development of Vietnam’s ports, logistics and maritime sectors
(Posted on 31/10/24)Vingroup JSC, one of Vietnam’s leading private companies, and AD Ports Group, a diversified, global... Read more
HH-WIN approval provides security for expansion in Hamburg port area
(Posted on 26/10/24)Following an important decision by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs in Berlin and the Federal... Read more
