Mayflower Autonomous Ship Diverts Crossing Due to Mechanical Failure

At nearly the halfway point on its second attempt to become the largest unmanned vessel to navigate across the Atlantic, the Mayflower Autonomous Ship (MAS400) was forced to divert due to a mechanical problem with a generator on board. The engineers monitoring the voyage reported that they would be bringing the vessel into the Azores to diagnose the problem. 

Having departed from Plymouth in the UK on April 27, the vessel was well underway on its more than 3,000-mile journey, which was to take it to Virginia and then on to Washington D.C. They had projected that the voyage would take approximately three weeks. The last online report on May 2 showed the vessel had covered over 1,300 miles completing 20 percent of the voyage without a problem. While announcing that they were suspending the trip due to the mechanical issue, the team highlighted that the sensors, cameras, and AI system were all functioning. 

The issue with its generator was discovered on May 6. The project team did not provide additional details on the nature of the problem, but observers noted that power levels had been dropping as displayed on the online dashboard. The Mayflower is powered by solar panels and batteries and the last report shows that the batteries had dropped to 42 percent of power.

 

MAS has developed a mechanical issue with its generator. The project lead, ProMare, made the decision to bring the ship in to the Azores to investigate and fix it. The IBM technology remains functioning. The team hopes to be back underway with the transatlantic crossing ASAP.

— AI Captain - Mayflower Autonomous Ship (@AI_Mayflower) May 9, 2022

 

A mechanical issue also doomed the first attempt to cross the Atlantic in June 2021. The Mayflower had completed 11 percent of its crossing on the first trip when three days out power levels and speed fell.  The team feared the vessel would not have sufficient power to make the crossing and aborted the journey. After bringing the vessel back to England, the team determined that a mechanical issue caused by a fracture in the flexible metal coupling between the ship’s generator and exhaust system caused the loss of power. A metal component had fractured causing diesel fuel to leak leaving the Mayflower without its diesel power which is used as a backup.

With no human captain or onboard crew, the research vessel uses AI and solar energy to make the journey. Measuring 50 feet in length and weighing five tons, the craft was developed at a cost of more than $1 million in a research partnership involving the University of Plymouth, IBM, autonomous vessel specialists MSubs, and charity ProMare. Taking more than four years to develop, the goal of the project is to collect ocean research data during the crossing and demonstrate the emerging capabilities of AI to navigate vessels.

In addition to repairing the coupling that caused last year’s mechanical failure, the team reported that they had taken the time to strengthen components on the ship and enhance the AI systems. The plan is now to investigate the problem with the Mayflower in the Azores and hopefully fix it and resume the voyage to the United States.