First tests of the unmanned unit

On 18 November 2021, the Port of Gdynia Yacht Basin hosted the first tests of the unmanned unit, which in March 2022 will begin cyclic testing of port waters as part of the research and development project entitled “Marine port surveillance and observation system using mobile unmanned research units”. The company responsible for carrying out the necessary measurements, using an unmanned unit, is Marine Technology Sp. z o.o., which in October 2021 won the tender announced by the Port of Gdynia Authority S.A. Innovative solutions that have been applied in order to automate the research processes carried out with the unmanned platform, enabled measurements to be carried out without the participation of the crew in places previously difficult to access.As part of the tests, the automated mechanisms for collecting water samples from various depths and samples of bottom sediments were verified for proper operation. The communication systems were also checked and safety protocols were verified.

The project, which is led by ZMPG S.A., is implemented within an international consortium that includes partners from Poland and Norway. The main objective of the project is to determine the possibility of obtaining accreditation from state administration units for all research carried out using unmanned surface platforms and to create recommendations to unify technical standards in this area. The project is financed in 85% from the Norwegian Financial Mechanism and in 15% from the state budget.