The Plymouth Marine Laboratory announced that it is currently developing the first long-range autonomous research vessel in the world, the Oceanus , expected to be 24 m long, with a beam of 3.5 m.
The vessel will aid scientists in their research on climate change, fisheries, biodiversity, or biogeochemistry and thus it will be capable of transporting different types of sensors that can gather essential data. Oceanus will be designed and constructed by a Plymouth-based firm named M Subs Ltd.
With the environmental factor in mind, Oceanus will be powered by a fuel-efficient diesel engine, an on-board micro-energy generation device, and solar power, courtesy of the panels on the deck, as explained by Plymouth Marine Laboratory.
Fuel consumption will be reduced significantly as no crew members will be on the vessel to add to the weight of the ship. There won’t be any living facilities as well. More information on the vessel’s range capabilities is awaited.
