Thailand-based PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) and Mermaid Maritime have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for Cooperation on Research and Development of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) at Energy Complex Building.
The MoU was signed by Phongsthorn Thavisin, Executive Vice President, Technology and Sustainability Development Group of PTTEP and Chalermchai Mahagitsiri, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mermaid Maritime.
The objective of the MoU is to empower the capability of Thai people to develop full functional AUV for petroleum exploration and production activities, the company noted.
AUV technology research and development in Thailand was first initiated by the cooperation between PTTEP and Faculty of Engineering of Kasetsart University in 2014, which resulted with the completion of laboratory-scaled prototype AUV.
The partnership with Mermaid Maritime will allow Thailand’s AUV technology to advance into pilot-scale phase, PTTEP added.