SubSeaSail, LLC (SSS) has been awarded a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase 1 grant of $256,000 from the National Science Foundation. The grant will be used to develop a prototype autonomous, multi-hulled, cargo-carrying, sailing vessel to help usher in a new “age of sail” that can cost-effectively deliver goods point-to-point globally. Multi-hull vessels are inherently fast and have good load carrying ability but suffer from a risk of catastrophic capsizing. SSS has filed for two U.S. patents to mitigate this risk and provide an ability to right themselves, if needed, and continue voyages.
The two biggest costs for traditional, monohull cargo vessels are crew and fuel, which is one reason that cargo vessels have been getting bigger and bigger to minimize those costs as a percentage of operating expenses (OPEX). The creation of stable, autonomous, cargo-carrying, multihulled vessels has the potential to radically change the economics of cargo vessel production (CAPEX) and operation (OPEX) by allowing the use of smaller vessels for many applications. The SSS multi-hull will be autonomous (i.e. no crew) and wind-propelled/solar-powered, resulting in a 100% energy harvesting vessel (i.e. clean, no fuel cost) – essentially eliminating the two biggest costs of traditional cargo vessels. They will be ideal for bulk cargo and liquid deliveries and many uses including expeditionary forces supply, humanitarian aid (60-80% of cost is delivery), inter-island, and remote island delivery.
About SubSeaSail LLC:
SSS is a 5-year-old, San Diego-based BlueTech company with a mission to develop 100% energy harvesting, innovative, disruptively affordable, long-duration (1+ month), sailing platforms & sensors. SSS is developing three lines of business: 1) monohull, semi-submersible observation vessels; 2) multi-hull, surface cargo vessels; and 3) unique sensors ideally suited for these vessels including rigid Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) Arrays and a weather station. SSS vessels are “Designed for Simplicity” and backed by multiple issued and pending patents for its monohull, semi-submersible and multi-hull cargo vessel designs. They have low drag/wake and minimal detection signature (acoustic, IR, radar, visual), which makes them environmentally friendly in the ocean and useful for a broad array of users. The two vessel families are designed for uses from short to long duration, persistent missions. Future versions will be able to submerge to avoid bad actors/weather, to listen/monitor, or to store goods safely offshore.
For more information, please contact Michael Jones, Managing Partner of SubSeaSail at mbjones@subseasail.com.
