BAR Technologies (BARTech) has partnered with situation awareness company Groke Technologies to design and develop systems for BAR’s WindWings technology.
The collaboration with Groke will provide an autonomous navigation solution to enhance passage at sea and port manoeuvrability for vessels equipped with BARTech’s WindWings. The system was trialled on Mitsubishi Corporation’s Pyxis Ocean – chartered by food corporation Cargill – the first vessel to be retrofitted with WindWings. Since fitment in August 2023, the Pyxis Ocean has made several voyages with WindWings and Groke Pro in operation.
Aiming to support the maritime industry’s shift to new low-carbon propulsion systems, whereby traditional lines-of-sight may be obstructed, Groke Pro provides imagery to the bridge collated from multiple locations on the vessel, together with an analysis of objects in the vessel’s periphery. Providing a situational awareness of the vessel surroundings, sensor fusion technology can combine inputs from different sensors on the vessel, including radar, AIS and Groke Pro’s day and night cameras. Powered by machine vision and machine learning, tools such as blending and real-time risk analysis provide the vessel crew with the most accurate information to support their decision-making.
John Cooper, BAR Tech CEO, said: “As we chart the future of the maritime industry, our partnership with Groke marks a pivotal stride toward the confluence of low carbon propulsion and the latest automation technologies – both of which put global shipping on the path towards a cleaner, more efficient future. As the industry goes on this journey, it’s critical to BAR that we overcome any challenges in operability by either innovating in-house, or partnering with other forward-looking industry specialists with whom we can form close collaboration. We look forward to working closely with Groke in future.”
Juha Rokka, CEO Groke Technologies added: “As shipping continues to evolve, Groke is committed to being among the front-runners of the maritime future. With our technology and know-how, we are confident that we can support the shipping industry in embodying higher standards in safety and materialising a cleaner future.”
Alongside the evolution of low carbon propulsion, the maritime industry continues to grapple with skills shortages in the face of an increasing need to digitalise fleet management and operations. While the industry explores the adoption of new technologies, the emphasis remains on building more autonomous systems without compromising traditional crew roles. Technology solutions, such as Groke Pro, are expected to help optimise BAR Tech’s WindWings to enhance operational efficiency and the safety of seafarers. These efforts to continually develop through the integration of advanced technology underscore BARTech’s commitment to a safer, more efficient, and technologically advanced future for the shipping industry.
Image: Groke Pro enhances BAR Tech’s WindWings system (source: BAR Technologies/Groke)
