BAR Technologies announces collaboration with Groke Technologies to set an industry standard for navigation for vessels with wind-assisted propulsion.
Portsmouth, 25th March 2024 – BAR Technologies (BARTech), an innovative simulation-driven marine engineering consultancy and wind propulsion leader, has announced a new partnership with GROKE Technologies (Groke), a world leader in situation awareness solutions, 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 ground-breaking installation was pioneered on Mitsubishi Corporation’s Pyxis Ocean – chartered by global food corporation, Cargill – which was 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 superb 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 like blending and real-time risk analysis provide the vessel crew with the most accurate information to support their decision-making.
John Cooper, Chief Executive Officer, BAR Technologies, commented “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, Chief Executive Officer, Groke Technologies commented: “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 materializing a cleaner future.”
Alongside the evolution of low carbon propulsion, the maritime industry also 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, help to optimise BART’s WindWings® to enhance operational efficiency and the safety of seafarers.
These ongoing 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.
About BAR Technologies:
With an impressive heritage, having originally spun out from the former British, America’s Cup Team, BAR Tech provide a wide range of design and engineering consultancy services with a focus on 4 key sectors: Workboats and Commercial Vessels, Shipping, Special Projects and Leisure Marine and Yachts.
BAR Technologies offer a cohesive team of world lead naval architects and optimisation specialists; fluid dynamists; mechanical, structural and composite engineers; control strategy and system specialists; they offer data and simulation engineers with access to the latest commercial knowledge, using bespoke in-house design tools.
For more details please visit: https://www.bartechnologies.uk/
About Groke Technologies:
Groke Technologies, founded in 2019, is a Finland headquartered maritime tech company with a vision to make seafaring safer one vessel at a time. The Groke team has an extensive background in the marine industry. Acknowledging the problems crews face, Groke’s high-tech-driven team developed a situational awareness system powered by machine learning, machine vision, and sensor fusion technology.
Since the launch of the Groke Pro situational awareness system in 2022, Groke’s technology has accompanied vessels and their crews in voyages around the globe, taking the safety of sailing and crew wellbeing to unprecedented levels. Groke remains committed to making sailing safer and helping our customers to move to the forefront of maritime digitalization.
For more information please visit: https://www.groke-tech.com
