The Algeciras Bay Port Authority (APBA), attended on March 19th to the demonstration of the Proof of Concept (PoC) of the disruptive innovation project called “E-3 – Advanced USV’s and autonomous hangars of recharge for unlimited autonomy and 24/7/365 recurrent operations“, developed by the Canary Islands start-up BlackSand Marine Technologies.
Specifically, the project proposes the development of a USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) system or advanced aquatic drone, with an autonomous recharging station, designed and specialised to facilitate operations of interest in port infrastructures such as spill control, bathymetry, meteorology, port surveillance and control, predictive and preventive maintenance, etc.
The proof of concept of this system, that will allow constant vehicle operation in the port vicinity, obtaining a practically unlimited autonomy, has been supported by the APBA, which, through its role as facilitator, has acted as Port Living Lab. Thanks to its open innovation strategy, the Port Authority intends to take advantage of the agility and knowledge that other external agents such as start-ups, R+D+i Centers or companies from the port logistic sector and the Port Community can provide, in order to achieve an impact on the improvement of competitiveness and the quality of service offered by the Port of Algeciras.
Specifically, the scope of the proof of concept, carried out in the facilities of the South Dock of the Port of Algeciras, consisted of testing the manoeuvre of autonomous approach of the USV to the future loading station, its extraction from the water with the automatic davits and its subsequent release.
Once completed, the collected data will be analysed to validate the results and draw conclusions, as part of the development of a broader innovative project that is currently analysing funding mechanisms for the innovation, such as the Ports 4.0 Fund from the Spanish National Ports Administration.
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