Autonomous vessel control systems deal

As part of this agreement Rolls-Royce business unit Power Systems and Sea Machines will develop and market both fully and semi-autonomous vessel control systems primarily for yachts, commercial and government vessels.

“Autonomous systems take over routine efforts, reduce stress for crews and thus increase operational predictability and safety,” said Michael Johnson, chief executive and founder of Sea Machines.

“The technology makes shipping more productive, economical and contributes to more sustainable operations,” he added.

Under the deal Rolls-Royce Power Systems will receive sales and service rights for existing and future Sea Machines products. The two companies will also develop new solutions to collect and analyse vessel data for use in smart vessel control systems.

Rolls-Royce sees this deals as a continuation of its PS 2030 strategy, helping the company evolve from a propulsion supplier to a provider of solutions. “We want to provide our customers with complete solutions from ‘bridge to propeller’,” said Denise Kurtulus, vice president global marine at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.

The new systems will also complement the company’s mtu NautIQ portfolio. “Following the acquisition of Servowatch and the inclusion of bridge systems into our newly launched mtu NautIQ portfolio, the agreement with Sea Machines is the logical next step,” said Claudius Müller, head of business development of the marine business at Rolls-Royce Power Systems.