Autonomous maintenance dredger unveiled

Illustration of the AUMD (Source: C-Job Naval Architects)

 

The conceptual design of a battery-powered autonomous underwater maintenance dredger (AUMD) has been unveiled by ship design and engineering firm, C-Job Naval Architects. The AUMD design, developed by the firm’s R&D department, has demonstrated a range of benefits in a comparative study with a conventional trailing suction hopper dredger.

The submerged vessel, which is likely to be controlled from shore via 4G/5G communication networks, encounters far less resistance than a surface dredger, requiring 55% less propulsion power and 80% less dredge pump energy. The 16-MWh battery pack provides sufficient power for 12 hours of maintenance dredging and the vessel only needs to surface to recharge batteries or undergo maintenance or repair. Meanwhile, the length of the AUMD can be reduced by 20% compared with a surface dredger with the same hopper volume.

C-Job’s technical director, Tim Vlaar, said: “In order for autonomous vessels like the Autonomous Underwater Maintenance Dredger to become reality, more work is needed and requires all stakeholders such as class, port authorities, autonomous technology companies and launching customers to come together. Of course, continued development of autonomous vessel designs is also needed to fully explore the possibilities autonomous shipping presents even further.”

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