AUTOMATIC POSITION CONTROL OF A 30,000 TON SHIP DURING OCEAN MINING OPERATIONS.

Extensive computer simulation and performance analysis and assessment have been carried out for the dynamic positioning control of a large, commercial ocean mining ship/pipe system, and selective results are presented. The preliminary system employs a self-propelled miner similar to the one having been tested in the Pacific Ocean. The present method of analysis and simulation can be applied to many other mining system analyses. Furthermore, it can be directly applied to the station-keeping control of deepsea drilling or ocean margin drilling systems.