Image: BMT’s expanded REMBRANDT platform and navigation software Credit: BMT
BMT has partnered with ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK (AEUK) to advance autonomous maritime navigation by utilising BMT’s proprietary Synthetic Environment Assurance Service (SEAS) testbed.
This collaboration assessed AEUK’s autonomous navigation system, ARCIMS, delivering capabilities and compliance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs). ARCIMS, a maritime platform designed for modularity and adaptability, offers capabilities for autonomous mine warfare and unmanned vessel operations. Leveraging its proprietary SEAS testbed, BMT evaluated the ARCIMS system’s ability to operate safely and effectively in complex and dynamic maritime environments.
BMT’s SEAS testbed enabled the testing of AEUK’s system in detailed synthetic maritime environments, replicating complex operational scenarios under controlled, repeatable conditions. By providing robust assurance through this innovative approach, BMT has supported the system’s readiness for certification and deployment, advancing the safe integration of autonomous systems in real-world maritime operations.
This collaboration addressed a pivotal challenge in maritime autonomy – ensuring that the autonomous navigation system meets the stringent requirements of COLREGs compliance. Using BMT’s SEAS platform, AEUK’s system was tested in a wide array of high-pressure scenarios designed to stress-test its algorithms and reveal actionable insights for refinement.
“BMT’s partnership with ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK underscores the importance of simulation-based assurance in developing safe, reliable autonomous systems,” said Will Alexander, Campaign Lead for Maritime Autonomous Systems at BMT and a master mariner and hydrographic surveyor.
“Building trust in AI decision-making is equally vital. Trustworthy AI must be embedded into the foundation of autonomous systems, and this project exemplifies how that principle is part of the very DNA of our SEAS testbed, ensuring systems are not only compliant but also capable of making informed, seamanlike decisions in dynamic maritime environments.”
BMT’s work in this collaboration also highlights its role in supporting the progress of maritime autonomous systems (MAS) compliance. BMT provides technical input into the UK’s Defence Maritime Regulator (DMR) guidelines and tools, maintaining positions on influential groups such as the Society of Maritime Industries Autonomy Council and the Maritime Autonomous Systems Regulatory Working Group. This commitment reinforces BMT’s influence in shaping the future of autonomous maritime safety and standards.
The SEAS testbed project delivered vital optimisation and value to AEUK, the UK Naval Authority Technical Group (NATG), and the broader maritime community. By using advanced simulation capabilities, BMT reduced the costs and risks associated with live testing and provided essential evidence for the system’s certification. The testing defined safe operational envelopes and identified areas for algorithmic refinement, ensuring confidence in the system’s deployment.
