“This partnership is an example of our strategic focus on faculty research. It will impact the future of the industry we serve while bringing real world experience into the classroom,” said Dr. Keith Williamson, MMA’s new Vice President for Academic Affairs.
The Academy said it is equipping its fleet with the Reston, Va.-based startup's intelligent navigation platform, including the autonomous 41-foot workboat R/V Quickwater. SailPlan will provide MMA's Shore Control Center with real-time fleet position and health tracking, resulting in unparalleled vessel telemetry being made available on the shoreside.
The cloud-based route exchange capability of SailPlan will allow autonomous vessels to constructively mitigate collision risks while optimizing efficiency routing.
The navigation platform of Sailplan is designed to improve safety by collecting and analyzing vessel traffic, weather, berth availability and geographic awareness data to provide unparalleled situational awareness, resulting in the ability to proactively optimize travel plans, avoid congested waters and differentiate to a much greater degree than possible from potential collision scenarios.
Maritime Business World