C.A. Goudey & Associates

The C.A. Goudey and Associates team will lead a MARINER Category 2 project to develop an autonomous marine tow vessel to enable deployment of large-scale seaweed farming systems. Essentially all marine transportation systems rely on manned vessels. These systems are labor-intensive and depend on boats and ships that are a poor match to the tasks associated with deployment and operations of large-scale seaweed farming systems. This project seeks to remove the costs and requirements of manned systems through the use of slow-moving, autonomous tow vessels. Such vessels will enable macroalgae farming systems over larger ocean areas by eliminating the schedule constraints of a manned vessel, and the misapplication of high-speed boats to towing. Once operational, autonomous vessels could be used for a number of farming tasks such as towing pre-seeded longlines to the farm, transporting harvested seaweed back to collection points, or relocation of critical marine infrastructure. Where manned activities are essential, farm personnel can return to shore while the products of their labor make the same journey at a slower pace and significantly lower costs. If successful, this towing solution can be integrated into complete macroalgae farming systems to reduce high operating costs attributable to fuel and labor.