Dutch offshore services firm Fugro has signed a development agreement with autonomous vessel technology specialist L3 ASV to jointly create autonomous vessels for the commercial survey market.
The partnership aims to deliver the first unmanned surface vessel (USV), designed for medium- to large-scale hydrographic survey applications, by the second quarter of 2019.
Wim Herijgers, director innovation marine for Fugro, commented: “We believe that over time a significant portion of our marine business can be optimised through the use of autonomous and remote technology, and we are very excited that we have reached an agreement with L3 ASV.
“This partnership aligns with our strategy to leverage technology to reduce offshore staff exposure and make our operations more efficient.”