Itchen to go: Marine robotics company lays out early vision for ‘blue highway’ of river taxis

Andy Tourell, Head of Sustainable Logistics at Ocean Infinity, recently met with the River Itchen Inquiry Panel at Southampton City Council to share ambitious plans for the city’s waterways.

The company sees potential for a ‘blue highway network’ of water taxis along the Itchen, Test and Hamble, as well as Southampton Water and the wider Solent region.

This would initially involve a proof-of-concept service across the River Itchen, which if successful would expand down the river and out towards the sea.

Andy assured the panel that each vessel would be fitted with zero-carbon power and propulsion systems, with an aim to eventually leverage the company’s experience in robotics and operate unmanned taxis from a remote command centre in Woolston.

In a statement, the company said: “Ocean Infinity presented the Blue Highway project as a vision for what transport solutions could look like in the future, supporting the wider decarbonisation objectives of the city.

“Whilst the proposal has been welcomed by Southampton City Council, Solent Transport and Associated British Ports in Southampton, the project remains as a vision for the future.

“The next step will be for these organisations to build a consortium of lead partners, spanning local authorities, landowners, developers, operators and the maritime industry to identify an initial route and firm up plans to make the vision a reality.”