Nauticus Robotics launches aluminium-hulled surface vessel with subsea robots for better navigation

A company called Nauticus Robotics from Houston has developed a remarkable solution known as the Nauticus Fleet, a group of electric surface and subsea robots. The Hydronaut, an autonomous surface vessel measuring 59 feet, has been tailor-made for the purpose of transporting, deploying, communicating with, recharging, and recovering the Aquanaut subsea robot.

The Hydronaut has an aluminium alloy monohull and runs on two Volvo Penta engines with fuel technology for carbon neutrality.

Nauticus’ toolKITT autonomous machine intelligence software platform has enabled the cooperative pairing of vessels to effectively carry out complex subsea tasks. According to Nicolaus Radford, the CEO of Nauticus, this technology is set to have a significant impact on the industry, with greenhouse gas emissions expected to be reduced by over 90% compared to conventional methods. Additionally, operational costs are projected to be reduced by more than 50%, and there could be a probable drop of up to 90% in the number of personnel deployed offshore. Radford has described the technology as the perfect blend of intelligent robotics and the maritime industry.

The UK-based company Diverse Marine has created the ASV, which can be built globally, including Jones Act-compliant new builds, with the support of their U.S. shipyard partners. The Hydronaut boasts a semi-planing aluminium alloy monohull and is driven by two Volvo Penta IPS 9000 Tier III engines that utilize IMO Tier III selective catalytic reduction (SCR) after-treatment fuel technology, resulting in a carbon-neutral vessel. It can achieve a top speed of 21 knots.

The Hydronaut is equipped with various technologies, including the Furuno navigation suite, Hikvision IP Cameras, and primary, secondary, and tertiary ship-to-shore communications. The vessel will be remotely piloted using MarineAI’s Guardian software. The cooperative pairing of Hydronaut and Aquanaut is made possible through the autonomous through-hull deployment of transducers and acoustic communications systems.

Nauticus is currently in discussion with major offshore operators in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and other regions to explore how this technology can revolutionize offshore operations. The Nauticus Fleet is expected to be delivered and commissioned later this summer and will be stationed in Scotland and Norway.