Artificial Intelligence (AI) Software for Ports, Crewed and Autonomous Marine Vessels (USVs, ASVs)

Marine AI is a specialist developer of cognitive artificial intelligence (AI) technologies for marine and maritime applications.

Our sensor-driven edge AI software for unmanned and autonomous surface vessels (USVs/ASVs) enhances safety and allows more efficient route planning.

We have broad and deep experience with unmanned marine vehicle design, as well as expertise in computer vision technologies and autonomous systems software architecture.

Guardian Autonomy – AI Software

AI-powered collision avoidance & route planning for USVs & ASVs

Guardian Autonomy uses advanced edge AI to provide unmanned vessels with robust autonomy capabilities. Combining real-time weather, current, AIS and sensor data with state-of-the-art computer vision and modelling, it automatically makes course, speed and direction decisions that maximise safe navigation and fuel efficiency with full regulatory compliance.

Based around IBM’s Power AI deep learning technology and IBM Edge computing, Guardian Autonomy uses scalable sensor analytics and a flexible modular approach that allows us to easily adapt to customer-specific requirements such as use-case specific rulesets for the hybrid AI.

Fully-compliant autonomous vessel capabilities with maximum safety

Guardian Autonomy provides collision avoidance, weather avoidance, efficient route planning and full autonomous operation for unmanned maritime vessels, all underpinned by safety-first design.

Fully compliant with COLREGS (International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea), the AI software computation is performed on board the vessel, thus vastly reducing satellite bandwidth requirements. By default, each real-time Decision Report sent by the system from ship to shore includes only the data relevant to the parent decision, making the platform ideal for limited-bandwidth applications.

Guardian Autonomy also takes advantage of IBM’s Edge secure connection technologies, providing complete end-to-end encryption of all data transferred between ship and shore.

It is built on the backbone of a highly secure and resilient operating system that has also been deployed globally in critical financial and infrastructure projects.

Benefits of Guardian Autonomy AI software

Guardian Autonomy provides a variety of benefits for developers and operators of maritime autonomous surface vessels:

• Enhanced safety and situational awareness for autonomous vessels, resulting in reduced risk of collisions and accidents and in turn reduced insurance premiums
• Efficient route planning that can adjust to weather and other factors in real time, providing increased fuel efficiency and cost savings
• Explainable AI, built upon IBM’s powerful Operational Decision Manager software, makes every decision transparent, auditable and able to be interrogated on-the-fly
• Powerful real-time analytics provide operators and fleet managers with a comprehensive range of information including number and details of instructions issued, and vessel actions pre- and post-instruction.

Guardian Autonomy – in action

The Mayflower Autonomous Ship

Guardian Autonomy is being proven on board the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS), a ground-breaking USV that will undertake one of the world’s first autonomous transatlantic voyages.

The Mayflower will use AI, cloud and edge computing technologies, including Marine AI’s Guardian technology, to navigate autonomously and detect and avoid potential hazards.