A vessel carrying a cargo of oysters from the United Kingdom across the English Channel has become the world’s first-ever commercial shipment completed using remote control.
Loaded with a five-kilogram consignment of oysters from Mersea Island, Essex, the 12-meter long Sea-Kit vessel “Maxlimer” navigated some of the world’s busiest shipping lanes to deliver its cargo to Ostend, Belgium. The uncrewed surface vessel (USV) then made a return journey with some Belgian beer on-board.
Its 22-hour trip was directed from a control room in Maldon and was supported by the U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Department for Transport, the Foreign Office, officials in Belgium and the European Space Agency.
The vessel is equipped with cameras, radar, microphones, thermal imaging, and a back-up autonomous system to keep it and other sea-goers safe.
“This voyage has been months in the making, and to see it all come together is amazing,” Ben Simpson of Sea-Kit International Ltd. said. “[The USV’s] potential lies in its ability to be adapted to a range of tasks, whether it be transit, hydrographic surveys, environmental missions, or marine safety and security. We’re tremendously excited to push the technology to its limits and see what we can achieve.”
Maxlimer is capable of speeds of up to four knots (4.6 mph), has a capacity of up to 2.5 metric tons (MT) and is powered by a hybrid electric-diesel engine.
Larger uncrewed cargo vessels are expected to be in service by the mid-2020s.
Photo courtesy of Sea-Kit International
