HPA and Marine Thinking to test new capabilities in a live marine environment
Marine Thinking will undertake an autonomous sonar survey of piers using their electric Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV).
On Friday, August 25, 2023, the Halifax Port Authority (HPA) will partner with Marine Thinking, a member company at The PIER, to test new technology at the Port of Halifax.
Marine Thinking will undertake an autonomous sonar survey of Piers 20, 21 and 22 using their electric Unmanned Surface Vessel (USV), Acadia. The scans will collect data on the current condition of seawall infrastructure and seabed elevation to support planning for future maintenance and projects.
The vessel – a RIB (rigid inflatable boat) is fully electric, reducing both noise and air emissions at the source. Responsible and pro-active management of HPA’s infrastructure in an environmentally sustainable manner allows HPA to meet infrastructure requirements while continuing to move toward Net-Zero operations.
“This trial will improve the understanding of emerging USV capabilities and will prepare HPA for the application and future use of autonomous vessels in the Halifax Harbour,” said Govinda Jagdeo, Project Manager, Marine Thinking. “Our autonomous technology solutions are helping the industry advance further and faster while ensuring a safer and more sustainable future.”
“The PIER is where HPA and its members come to co-create, test and demonstrate emerging technologies," said David Thomas, Executive Director, The PIER. “This is a great example of how we can leverage what PIER members are doing and test it in a real environment. Adopting solutions for infrastructure surveying could bring down deployment time and enable HPA to perform more surveys, including after major weather events."
