I've been learning about ships lately.  I'd guess that the reason that this project has been advised to troll around in a figure-8 pattern is that the ship needs to be moving in order for the stabilizers to work.


Now think about what happens when you put a couple dozen of these on the bottom of a large stationary platform, and make the resistance provided by each one variable and computer-controlled.

The aim is to create a more mobile hotel unit which can be leased by oil companies which operate in several parts of the world.