Southern Devall Installs Mythos AI System On Vessel
A Southern Devall towboat has become the first on the Mississippi River to deploy an artificial intelligence system designed to enhance safety and operational efficiency.
Mythos AI recently installed the Advanced Pilot Assist System (APAS) onto a Southern Devall vessel, “signaling a transformative step in American inland shipping,” the Sulphur, La.-based towing company said in a statement.
The APAS system is designed to provide real-time awareness and decision support for captains. For the Southern Devall installation, key features include tracking and alarms for floating debris, displaced buoys and navigation aids, nearby vessels and approaches to locks and dams. A stopping distance alert system will calculate stopping distances based on real-time speed, river conditions and vessel characteristics to warn operators if certain thresholds are exceeded.
The system also will log fuel consumption and propulsion data, detect potential energy waste and anomalies and suggest propulsion input for peak performance.
The initial rollout of Mythos AI’s APAS system will be informational only, with no control inputs. Mythos AI software will collect and interpret data gleaned from radar scans and cameras aboard the vessel along with AIS positioning data.
“This technology represents a step change in how we think about safety and operational control on the river,” said Sam Lewis, vice president of sustainability at Southern Devall. “Our top priority is keeping our crews, vessels and cargo safe in increasingly complex navigation environments. Mythos AI’s system gives us a new level of foresight—and we believe it will increase safety gains and fuel savings.”
The company said using AI to enhance safety and uptime has “the potential to yield massive economic gains and reduce costly navigation incidents that impact fuel use, delivery schedules and port access.”
Southern Devall operates a fleet of 70 towboats across the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway and Mississippi River system. The company expects to expand APAS to sister vessels following the success of the initial launch.
“Rapid changes in the river environment can quickly create significant navigation challenges for our captains and crews,” said Bob Thomas, chief operating officer at Southern Devall. “These changes often lead to costly disruptions. The Mythos AI system shows real promise in its ability to learn the navigational constraints of our routes and vessels and assist with real-time decision-making. In an increasingly unpredictable operating environment, we see APAS as a critical path to maintaining consistent operations while increasing the safety of our fleet.”
As the vessel operates, it will train Mythos AI’s advanced navigation algorithms using real-time environmental and behavioral data.
“We’re not just tracking hazards. We’re building a smarter river,” said Geoff Douglass, CEO of Mythos AI. “With APAS, Southern Devall is leading the charge in bringing next-generation navigation safety and efficiency to one of America’s most vital economic arteries.”
