Caterpillar to Power NOMARS Uncrewed Vessel

Caterpillar Marine announced it is working with Serco Inc., a provider of professional, technology, engineering and management services, to advance the use of autonomous vessels for naval applications. The initiative supports the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s No Manning Required Ship (NOMARS) project.

Autonomous unmanned vessels represent an opportunity to protect crews from the inhospitable, dangerous environment encountered at sea. This technological advancement not only promotes safety but also cost savings, as eliminating crew quarters and onboard living requirements reduces shipbuilding costs. The manufacturer said its Cat marine-certified engines meet the rigorous reliability, durability, performance monitoring and speed requirements to operate at sea at 90% availability for one year without manned intervention.

“We’re excited to be part of one of the most important technological disruptions in the maritime industry,” said Randy Tymofichuck, vice president and general manager of Caterpillar Defense at Caterpillar Inc. “Beyond naval applications, autonomous ship designs can positively impact cargo transportation and energy sectors as well to help strengthen the supply chains for each.”

“Captains and maintenance crews are essential for any maritime application, and we can enable them to do their jobs more safely by employing autonomous vessels,” added Ryan Maatta, chief marine engineer and marine engineering manager at Serco. “Over the years, we’ve experienced the reliability, dependability and performance of Cat engines in our ship designs and Caterpillar’s technology brings all those factors to bear in this project plus impressive technical support.”