Leading the way in autonomous vessel testing

The joint initiative supports the safe deployment of autonomous systems in real-world maritime operations.

“BMT’s partnership with AEUK 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.”

COLREG compliance

This partnership builds on BMT’s globally recognised REMBRANDT technology, which has helped set new benchmarks for navigation risk assessment and immersive simulation.

Using BMT’s SEAS testbed, the collaboration focused on assessing the decision-making capabilities of ARCIMS, where BMT simulated complex maritime environments, ensuring compliance with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs).

BMT’s SEAS testbed provided critical insights into ARCIMS’ performance, identifying areas for refinement and defining safe operational parameters.

The collaboration also contributed to the UK Ministry of Defence’s efforts to establish one of the world’s first frameworks for marine autonomy certification.

“In my view, this type of exercise is an invaluable addition to our existing test procedures. Working with specialist navigators and running scenarios specifically tailored to catch COLREGs ‘edge’ cases allowed us to identify areas for improvement in future algorithm versions,” said Ian Renton, AEUK’s principal software engineer for command, control and autonomy systems.