Sea Machines Robotics and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration (MARAD) have entered into a cooperative agreement to showcase how Sea Machines’ autonomous technology can be used to increase the safety, response time and productivity of marine oil-spill response operations.

On-water exercises will be conducted once Sea Machines equips a Marine Spill Response Corp. (MSRC)-owned MARCO skimming vessel—manufactured by Kvichak Marine Industries—with its SM300 autonomous-command system. Sea Machines will train MSRC personnel on how to operate the system.

Sea Machines and MSRC will perform simulated oil-spill recovery exercises in the harbor of Portland, Maine on Aug. 21, before an audience made up of government, naval, international, environmental and industry partners.

“Autonomous technology has the power to not only help prevent vessel accidents that can lead to spills, but can also facilitate better preparedness; aid in safer, efficient, and effective clean-up,” explains CEO Michael G. Johnson, Sea Machines.

“We look forward to working closely with MARAD and MSRC in these industry-modernizing exercises.”

Equipped with a MARCO filter belt skimmer to recover oil from the surface of the water, the skimming vessel usually operates in coastal or near-shore areas. Once the MSRC vessel is equipped with the SM300, it will have a number of new capabilities, including remote autonomous control from an onshore location or secondary vessel, collaborative autonomy for multi-vessel operations, and obstacle detection and collision avoidance.

“Our number one priority is the safety of our personnel at MSRC,” says John Swift, vice president, MSRC.

“The ability to use autonomous technology – allowing response operations to continue in an environment where their safety may be at risk – furthers our mission of response preparedness.”

Sea Machines notes that it enables minimally manned and unmanned autonomous operations, which allows operators to respond to spill events 24 hours a day, seven days a week depending on recovery conditions, even when crews are not available or restricted. These configurations reduce, or eliminate, exposure of crewmembers to toxic fumes and other safety hazards.