Design and Build of an Autonomous Catamaran Urban Cargo Vessel

Abstract

This study introduces a novel test bed, named the Maverick, which aims to advance the field of autonomous inland waterborne freight transportation and facilitate its eventual implementation. More specifically, the Maverick focuses on operating in small waterways within urban areas, aligning its application scenario with the European project AVATAR. The hull form of the Maverick was selected to be a catamaran, as it offers several advantages, including a large open deck area, high transverse stability, and excellent maneuverability at low speeds. The Maverick is equipped with two 360-degrees-steerable azimuth thrusters, one at the bow and one at the stern. This configuration makes the Maverick over-actuated, and offers more advanced motion control possibilities compared to conventional rudder-propeller actuated vessels. The Maverick is composed out of modular building blocks combined with a flexible interface, which enables it to accommodate diverse control terminals for future developments. Furthermore, to illustrate the feasibility of the Maverick within an urban context, this study also includes results of several trail tests. The interactive communication framework that was successfully employed in the autonomous sailing experiment is introduced. The Maverick offers a versatile platform for testing and developing a wide range of technologies in situation awareness, autonomous sailing, smart waterway logistics, and other interconnected domains. Therefore, this innovative research vessel can pave the way for the development of a new freight transport mode within European urban areas, contributing valuable experiences to the field.