Aker BioMarine ordered a new Sounder USV (Unmanned Surface Vehicle) from Kongsberg Maritime to further reduce their carbon footprint and optimize krill harvesting in Antarctica. The USV is also equipped to collect valuable scientific data.
Sustainable use of the ocean and marine resources is a key part of Aker BioMarine’s strategy. To achieve this, the company has invested heavily in technology that contributes to a more sustainable fishery and fishery management. In order to collect detailed data on the krill biomass, Aker BioMarine launched an unmanned solar-powered ocean data drone (Sailbuoy) early in 2020. Now the company has made another important investment, buying a specially designed USV from Kongsberg Maritime.
Unmanned maritime systems are evolving rapidly, and Kongsberg Maritime has a history of making world-leading products for the hydrographic and subsea positioning industries. The company supplies more multibeam sonars, positioning and fishery systems to the offshore market than any other manufacturer. The new agreement with Aker BioMarine will give the biotech and krill harvesting company an even greater scientific edge for their operations in Antarctica.
“With this USV we will further reduce our fuel consumption when looking for krill. Data from the USV will help our vessels navigate more efficiently, and thereby help minimize our CO2 footprint. We chose Kongsberg Maritime because of their experience and technical expertise, and this USV represents a versatile and reliable platform to help us reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050,” said Frank Grebstad, SVP Vessel Operations at Aker BioMarine.
As part of the agreement between Kongsberg Maritime and Aker BioMarine, the companies will co-operate to further develop the USV, together with scientific advice from REV Ocean, a not-for-profit company with a mission to make the ocean healthy again. REV Ocean gives scientific and technical advice to the project and looks for novel ways to better utilize the data from the USV in large international science programs and projects.
