The new Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS) is a ground-breaking collaboration between a wide range of organisations including ocean research charity ProMare, technology giant IBM and the University of Plymouth.
The solar powered and AI controlled trimaran was two years in the making. The project was first conceived in 2014, since when the partners – many with roots in Plymouth – have been refining designs to ensure it can survive whatever conditions the Atlantic Ocean has to offer.
The 50-foot MAS will undertake six months of sea trials and short trips before setting out on its trans-Atlantic trip to measure ocean health: assessing the impact of climate change, measuring micro-plastic pollution and studying populations of whales and dolphins.
With no human captain or onboard crew, MAS uses the power of AI and automation to traverse the ocean in its quest for data and discovery.
The ship’s AI Captain performs a similar role to a human captain. Assimilating data from a number of sources, it constantly assesses its route, status and mission, and makes decisions about what to do next.
Cameras and computer vision systems scan the horizon for hazards, and streams of meteorological data reveal potentially dangerous storms. Machine learning and automation software ensure that decisions are safe and in-line with collision regulations.
People will be able to follow the ship’s voyages and research online at www.mas400.org. If successful, the one million pound ship will become the largest-ever autonomous vessel to cross the Atlantic, captained by a robot trained by IBM-designed artificial intelligence, using a million nautical images.
Like the Mayflower in 1620, the new vessel will travel from Plymouth, England to Plymouth, Massachusetts, but on a marine research trip rather than a colony-founding journey. The COVID-19 pandemic has delayed its trip until the spring of 2021.
Andy Stanford-Clark, chief technology officer for IBM UK and Ireland, said the ship’s launch ‘is a very exciting stage of the journey towards autonomous shipping‚‘ that could pave the way for AI-driven cargo ships, water taxis and research vessels – as well as warships.
Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport, commented after the launch of the new vessel:
“Mayflower 400 is the chance for us to tell our citys’ story, and our city’s place in the story in one of the most important voyages in history.
“The coronavirus means we’ve had a very different kind of commemoration than the one we had planned, but I am determined that Mayflower 400 produces a lasting and positive legacy – one that renews the bond between the people of Plymouth, the United States and the Wampanoag nation.”
