Giving a Boost to the Emerging Era of Autonomous Oceanic Operations

August 14, 2017 – Sea Machines Robotics today announced that Todd Busch, Sr. Vice President & General Manager, Technical Services, at Crowley Maritime, has joined the company’s board of directors.

Sea Machines is a technology leader in the emerging space of smarter ships. The Boston-based company is building autonomous control technology for commercial vessels which will herald a smarter, safer and more efficient era of marine operations.

“The addition of Todd Busch to Sea Machine’s board of directors provides the company with a top-tier advisor who is a leading figure in the global marine industries with demonstrated leadership credentials” says Michael G Johnson, CEO of Sea Machines, “As Sea Machines pushes the cutting edge of vessel control technology, Todd’s more than three decades of experience in the shipping, offshore oil & gas, and marine salvage sectors will further enable and bolster our strategy to become the world’s solution provider of choice for advanced marine systems.”

“It’s a privilege and an honor to join the board at Sea Machines,” said Busch. “I look forward to both sharing my expertise and learning from others as the company continues its drive to bring new technology and advanced marine systems to the industry.”

Busch, who joined Crowley in 1987 as an ordinary seaman, is currently responsible for naval architecture and marine engineering, government services, ship management, marine salvage and wreck removal, new-vessel construction and the chartering and operations of Crowley’s offshore tug and barge fleet. Crowley is a privately-held, 125-year-old marine solutions, energy and logistics services company with more than $2 billion in annual revenues, 5,300 employees and operations worldwide.

Early in his career Busch served aboard company tugs as a chief mate and came ashore in 1994 as a tug dispatcher. He has managed the company’s ship-assist and marine services contract businesses, overseen pricing and the negotiating of contracts and managed the commercial activities for Crowley’s emergency response services and the U.S. Navy salvage contract. He was named vice president of Titan Salvage (now Ardent Global) in October 2005. Todd is the chairman of the board for Ardent, the joint venture between Crowley and Svitzer Salvage He is a former director of Marine Response Alliance, Clean Pacific Alliance, and served as a member of the executive committee, and past president of the International Salvage Union. Prior to joining Crowley, Busch sailed with the Southwest Alaska Pilots Association.

Sea Machines Robotics, founded in 2014, is a growing venture-backed company that is focused on 21st century innovation for the marine and maritime sectors.  This year the company launched the SM300 autonomous control system for commercial work boats which is proving the viability of remotely-commanded, self-aware, and self-piloting surface vessels.

Further information is available at www.sea-machines.com and Twitter @SeaMachines.  

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