A method of automatically moving, by an automatic location placement system, a marine vessel includes receiving, by a central processing unit, from a vision ranging photography system, at least one optical feed including data providing a mapping of an environment surrounding a marine vessel. The method includes displaying, by the central processing unit, on a touch screen monitor, the mapping of the environment. The method includes receiving, by the central processing unit, from the touch screen monitor, target location data. The method includes directing, by the central processing unit, at least one element of a propulsion system of the marine vessel, to move the marine vessel to the targeted location, using the mapping.

A propulsion rudder for use with a water vessel, preferably an unmanned surface water vessel. The propulsion rudder includes a rotating base, a rudder assembly, and a thrust assembly. In one embodiment, the rudder assembly may comprise two vertical mast rudders connected by an upper horizontal wing, with the thrust assembly mounted on the horizontal wing. In a second embodiment, the rudder assembly may comprise an annular airfoil with the thrust assembly mounted on a mast and positioned in the center of the annular airfoil. The thrust assembly may be a propeller, a turbine, a ramjet, or a rocket.

A marine vessel includes a marine vessel propulsion control system including a display and a controller configured or programmed to control movement of the marine vessel and to execute fixed point holding control to restrict movement of the marine vessel to keep the marine vessel at a predetermined position. When a target position is newly set during the fixed point holding control, the controller is configured or programmed to move the marine vessel to the target position. The display is operable to display a remaining distance as the marine vessel is moving to the target position. The controller is configured or programmed to change, according to a movement state of the marine vessel, a thrust level to be generated by a propulsion device during the fixed point holding control.

A marine vessel includes propulsion devices, an operator to move the marine vessel in a tilting direction of the operator, and a controller to control a magnitude and a direction of a thrust generated by each of the propulsion devices to move the marine vessel in the tilting direction of the operator. When the operator is tilted toward a lateral direction, the controller executes a first control to move the marine vessel in the lateral direction, and causes each of the propulsion devices to generate a thrust to eliminate a deviation of the marine vessel in a front-rear direction from a position of the marine vessel when the operator was tilted. When the operator is tilted in the front-rear direction of the marine vessel while the marine vessel moves in the lateral direction, the controller interrupts the first control and executes a second control to cause each of the propulsion devices to generate a thrust corresponding to the tilting of the operator.

A marine autopilot system configured to control a marine vessel through a marine environment is disclosed herein. The marine autopilot system may obtain data of the marine environment from charts and community shared data and generate a path from a first location to a destination location in the marine environment. The marine autopilot system may control the marine vessel along the path based on the marine vessel dynamics and weather and water current conditions. Sensors may detect hazards on and in the water and object detections systems may classify the hazards. The marine autopilot system may control the marine vessel to avoid the hazards based on the location and classification of the hazards. Furthermore, sensors may be utilized to generate detailed 3D maps that change with time to dock the marine vessel at known and unknown locations.

For a vessel steering apparatus for performing a movement control to move a vessel to a target position on the basis of a signal of a GPS apparatus, a movement control stop area, a buffer area adjacent to the movement control stop area, and a movement-controlling area adjacent to the buffer area are set on the basis of the distance from the target position, wherein in the movement control stop area, thrust generation by a propulsion apparatus is stopped; in the movement-controlling area, thrust is generated by the propulsion apparatus; and in the buffer area, thrust is generated by the propulsion apparatus of the vessel for movement control only in the case where the vessel moves from the movement-controlling area to the buffer area, then stays in the buffer area, and moves in a direction away from the target position.

An unmanned, autonomous, ocean-going vessel including a primary hull and a rigid wing rotationally coupled with the primary hull that freely rotates about a rotational axis. At least one of the primary hull and the rigid wing includes at least one selectively floodable compartment configured to selectively flood to submerge the primary hull and at least a portion of the rigid wing. The vessel further includes at least one controller configured to maintain a desired heading. The vessel further includes a control surface element configured to aerodynamically control a wing angle of the rigid wing based on a force exerted by wind on the control surface element. The vessel further includes a rudder. The at least one controller is further configured to determine a rudder position and generate a signal to position the rudder. The vessel further includes a keel coupled with the primary hull.

A system for offshore production of LNG from an FLNG vessel includes a floating LNG vessel including a hull and a deck, a topsides hydrocarbon processing facility installed at or above the deck of the hull of the FLNG vessel, an FLNG vessel cargo containment system including one or more insulated FLNG vessel cryogenic storage tanks installed within the hull of the FLNG vessel, a dynamic positioning control system operatively associated with a system of thrusters onboard the FLNG vessel where the dynamic positioning control system maintains the FLNG vessel at a desired heading around a station keeping point during LNG production operations, and a computer processor for receiving a set of real-time monitored environmental data.

A system for offshore production of LNG from an FLNG vessel includes a floating LNG vessel including a hull and a deck, a topsides hydrocarbon processing facility installed at or above the deck of the hull of the FLNG vessel, a FLNG vessel cargo containment system comprising one or more insulated FLNG vessel cryogenic storage tanks installed within the hull of the FLNG vessel, a dynamic positioning control system operatively associated with a system of thrusters onboard the FLNG vessel where the dynamic positioning control system maintains the FLNG vessel at a desired heading around a station keeping point during LNG cargo offloading operations, and a computer processor for receiving a set of real-time monitored environmental data.

A system for maintaining a marine vessel in a body of water at a selected position and orientation includes a global positioning system that determines a global position and heading of the vessel and a proximity sensor that determines a relative position and bearing of the vessel with respect to an object near the vessel. A controller operable in a station keeping mode is in signal communication with the GPS and the proximity sensor. The controller chooses between using global position and heading data from the GPS and relative position and bearing data from the proximity sensor to determine if the vessel has moved from the selected position and orientation. The controller calculates thrust commands required to return the vessel to the selected position and orientation and outputs the thrust commands to a marine propulsion system, which uses the thrust commands to reposition the vessel.