Sea Machines’ CEO Michael G. Johnson served as a lead speaker and panelist for the “Maritime Automation in the U.S.” event, as part of the Department of Transportation (DOT) Maritime Administration (MARAD)’s larger Achieving Critical MASS symposium, held early this week in Linthicum, Maryland. 

During his introductory presentation and the subsequent panel, which also included leaders of Shone and Buffalo Automation, Johnson explained that Sea Machines’ remote and autonomous (R&A) technology for commercial vessels is already on the market and in use aboard customers’ surface vessels. He shared that these early adopters in the U.S. and abroad have reported an immediate increase in operational capabilities, which have yielded greater levels of productivity, predictability and safety. (A recent cooperative agreement with MARAD and a collaboration with Hike Metal further illustrates these benefits.)

Johnson also provided an update on the A.P. Moeller-Maersk project, in which Sea Machines is trialing the world’s first A.I.-powered, situational awareness system aboard a Maersk container ship in the Baltic Sea. In summary, he and the panelists agreed that adoption of autonomous marine technology in the U.S. is happening now — and is happening faster than ever.

The Achieving Critical MASS (which represents Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships) symposium brings together maritime stakeholders, researchers, and industry leaders to discuss vessel automation and MASS-related developments and to explore business opportunities for the U.S. maritime industry.