UK Business and Trade Secretary Peter Kyle and Maritime Minister Keir Mather recently paid a visit to Ocean Infinity in Southampton, where they were both offered the chance to experience first-hand how robotics, software and autonomous systems are transforming the way work is carried out at sea.
The visit, which formed part of a Government announcement focused on helping technologies move more quickly from testing into real-world deployment, saw the Maritime Minister take control of a remotely operated underwater vehicle operating just off the Norwegian coast.
With guidance, the Minister successfully manoeuvred a node on the seabed using a robotic arm – an action that aims to highlight how a much larger shift is taking place across the maritime sector, with remote operations gradually redesigning the way work is carried out & completed.
Ocean Infinity itself aims to combine robotics, software and autonomous systems to create operating models capable of reducing wider offshore exposure, improving quality and efficiency, and enabling a new generation of workers to participate in maritime operations through technology-enabled roles based on land.
The company predominately designs, develops and operates autonomous vessels, underwater robotic systems and the software platforms that connect them, supporting customers across offshore energy, defence, science and government sectors globally.
All technologies showcased during the visit are routinely deployed in live operations across the world, and work to help organisations gather critical data, complete complex offshore missions and reduce the environmental impact of activities at sea.
Oliver Plunkett, CEO of Ocean Infinity, said:We’ve been operating robots, fully uncrewed boats and lean-crewed ships at sea for a decade. We’ve overcome all of the technological challenges we’ve faced. But our success and our ability to continue to grow isn’t just a matter of technology. The role of people and regulation is just as important, probably more so.
People have adapted and embraced the new jobs we’ve created, doing things that didn’t exist before. But regulation hasn’t moved as quickly.
The first step towards fully commercial, safe and long term sustainable use of robotics in the maritime industry is a practical and fast way to test and prove these systems safely in the real world. From there, if we get this right, the UK can build on its incredible heritage as a maritime nation to be the global leader, not just in developing the technology, but in actually putting it to work.
These reforms are a fantastic step. They give companies like Ocean Infinity the confidence to continue to invest, scale and deliver real capability from the UK into the global market knowing there is the clear support and encouragement of government and the regulator.
