Bosch Rexroth and Barge Master introduce the autonomous landing function for motion compensated gangways
21 August 2020A great step forward in the development of motion compensated gangways. Bosch Rexroth and Barge Master can now offer the autonomous landing function on all our new build gangways and retrofit the function on our existing systems later this year.
Autonomous landing systems use sophisticated technology to improve safety and efficiency for motion compensated gangways. As automation technology becomes more sophisticated and vessel owners around the world prioritize the optimization of operational hours, Bosch Rexroth has developed a new autonomous landing solution which significantly improves both safety and performance.
Landing systems are essential when it comes to transferring people and essential items between a vessel and an oil & gas platform or wind turbine generator. Through advanced drive technology and digital sensors, these systems compensate for the vessel movement, making them safer to use in adverse conditions. However, manual control is still required when it comes to engaging the landing with the platform. Depending on the experiences of the operator as well as the weather conditions, this can become a challenging task.
More safety comes with Bosch Rexroth’s new autonomous landing solution. Through a combination of sophisticated radar technology, cameras and sensors, the system automatically attaches the landing to the required site without the need for manual input. This means that the operation is consistent and reliable, regardless of weather and ocean conditions. Once connected, the landing utilizes the usual motion compensation which works alongside the vessel’s dynamic positioning system to ensure a safe, steady connection between the ship and the platform.
“There are a number of benefits to the autonomous landing system,” says Rene Coppens, Business Development for Barge Master systems at Bosch Rexroth. “First of all, it’s a further improvement of safety. Perhaps most importantly though, our systems increase the available operational hours. Our system can work in difficult conditions and does not depend on availability of operators, so it can really improve the uptime. These three key benefits present a real step forward in autonomous landing solutions.”
After years of research and development, and close cooperation between Bosch Rexroth, the Bosch research department and Barge Master, the autonomous landing solution is now available to order for new build Barge Master gangways and should be available for retrofit later this year on the existing Barge Master gangways.
“We’ve seen a lot of interest in the systems already,” adds Coppens. “Customers can already see the potential in this kind of automation, and how it can have a real positive impact on their businesses.”
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