Mayflower Autonomous Ship: AI is at the helm

Four hundred years ago the adventure of the Mayflower began, the ship that brought the pilgrim fathers to the American continent where the United States of America was actually born. At the symbolic distance of exactly 400 years, from the same port of Plymouth, the first self-driving ship left: the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS).

Mayflower Autonomous Ship

The project was born from the collaboration between IBM and ProMare after a two-year job. The Mayflower Autonomous Ship is a trimaran that was born as a study tool available to oceanography, to study climate change, water pollution and the health of marine fauna.

The boat is enriched by more than 30 sensors and 6 cameras, enough to completely replace the human presence on board. Length of 15 meters, width of 6.2 meters, 5 tons of total weight and hybrid engine with solar power. Driving is completely entrusted to the onboard hardware and the ability to scan the horizon in search of possible dangers. The weather information, the analysis of the navigation status and the instructions received will be the inputs that the Mayflower Autonomous Ship will be able to analyze to establish the route and pace of the journey.