Revolutionizing Maritime Transport: Damen’s Partnership with Zeabuz

Damen, an esteemed leader in shipbuilding, is committed to leading a transformation in maritime transport. The company is dedicated to exploring innovative technologies, ship designs, and environmentally friendly fuels to revolutionize the industry. In line with this vision, Damen has formed a partnership with Zeabuz, an expert in autonomous sailing technology.

Zeabuz, a Norway-based startup, is gaining recognition for its pioneering work in autonomous sailing technology. The company achieved a significant milestone with the debut of MF Estelle, the world’s first autonomous and emission-free ferry. This groundbreaking vessel is currently in regular operation in Stockholm, under the management of Torghatten.

At the core of Zeabuz’s success is its autonomous navigation system, which is a result of the company’s origins as a spin-off of the autonomous vessel research community at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. The system, inspired by the world’s first prototypes of autonomous passenger ferries, is designed to replicate the cognitive abilities of a human captain, allowing it to sense, understand, plan, act, and supervise, similar to a human counterpart.

Through the use of sensors and tracking algorithms, Zeabuz’s autonomous navigation system can establish situational awareness and perform dynamic motion planning, including collision avoidance. The system actively controls the vessel while being monitored by a human operator, demonstrating Zeabuz’s confidence in the effectiveness of human-machine collaboration.

Damen’s partnership with Zeabuz marks a significant advancement in the integration of autonomous sailing technology in the maritime industry. This collaboration, which is expected to extend over several years, will focus on extensive testing and analysis to explore the practical application of this cutting-edge technology for future Damen ships.

While the maritime industry is primarily focused on achieving emission-free operations, the incorporation of autonomous navigation technology holds immense potential for enhancing human safety and optimizing performance. Damen’s commitment to exploring the possibilities of self-sailing technology underscores the strategic significance of this innovation for the global shipping sector.

In conclusion, the collaboration between Damen and Zeabuz signifies a pivotal moment in the maritime industry’s journey towards embracing autonomous sailing technology. As both companies join forces to drive innovation and progress, the future of maritime transport is destined to be shaped by the groundbreaking advancements in autonomous navigation.