New Tech Maritime Product Proves Profitable Fuel and Emissions Reduction

US based company AutoMATE Marine Systems releases innovative fuel saving, collision avoidance and anti-stranding maneuvering aid products

AutoMATE Marine Systems, a high tech start-up developed DIGIPILOT, in response to Branson and Boyd's Carbon War Room plea for entrepreneurial, innovative technology solutions to reduce the carbon footprint of the shipping industry. DigiPILOT is an inertial autopilot add-on derived from pioneering spacecraft guidance technology. This fuel saving technique, saves 1 to 3% on each voyage, improving profits and is significant for reducing carbon emissions for 70,000 existing vessels. The new product will reduce Maritime shipping annual global greenhouse (CO2) gas emissions environmental impact and complies with the new International Maritime Association's Energy Efficiency Mandate.

The sophisticated, "smart autopilot add-on" is simple, easy and inexpensive to install compared to other radically new construction concepts that, although they can theoretically save 30%, they are often impractical or very expensive to implement for existing vessels. Ironically, the 1 to 3% fuel savings can amount to 6 to 12% added profit for the ship-owners indefinitely, since they realize 85% of the savings. The multi-year annuity software support contract allows an incentive for the developers to improve the technology. If this business model appears to be a contradiction, it isn't, DIGIPILOT not only is compliant with The International Maritime Organization's new mandate for energy efficiency, it should be implemented with urgency to also revitalize the shipping economy.

The IMO mandate's timid GUIDANCE statement:"Retrofitting of a more efficient autopilot to existing ships "could be considered". Reflects the fact that for decades the shipping industry has long doubted that improved rudder control can save fuel, or that is practical and cost effective. The Canadian Space Agency debunked this idea through funded experimental prototype with 900 hours of testing, scientifically proving that compared to the ship's existing autopilot with retrofit, rudder movements were reduced up to 70% and showed fuel savings of 2 to 3% and reduction in voyage time of 2%.

In addition, it has been stated that a massive computer, e.g. UNIVAC would be required to implement the concept. In comparison, DIGIPILOT autopilot add-on is an easy to install, cost effective energy efficiency solution that was developed using a minicomputer and is implemented on an Apple Mac-Mini and iPAD.

AutoMATE Marine Systems, LLC, based in Lexington, MA USA incorporated to resume production of its industry leading fully automatic DIGIPILOT rudder controller and DIGIPLOT collision avoidance and anti-grounding aid. AutoMATE products leverage 13 years and $6 million of pioneering development cost from the founders' previous company with $41M sales of it's Modular Integrated Bridge Systems on 550 ships that experienced 60 million hours of at sea automatic operation. Patent(s)# on improved technology of sensors, algorithms and control solutions are included in the re-hosting of software for today's faster marine computer/displays, as an add-on to new and existing ARPAs and ECDIS to fully utilizes today's technology for "hands- off" operation to aid overworked watch officers on undermanned bridges.

DIGIPILOT – Fuel saving rudder control system with optional DIGIPLOT Collision Avoidance/Anti-Grounding Single Display Maneuvering Aid- Multiple Provisional Patents Pending with US 61/632,221 Foreign License already granted.