OceanAlpha has received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore (BV) for the design of its L42B uncrewed surface vessel (USV), developed for offshore hydrographic and geophysical survey operations.
Issued on 31 July 2026, the AiP followed a review of the vessel’s design and proposed operations against BV’s NI 641 guidelines for autonomous shipping. The assessment covered the L42B’s general arrangement, communications and control architecture, and defined operating scenarios. BV concluded that the proposed design did not conflict with the applicable rules within the scope of its review.
The assessment considered harbour manoeuvring in complex traffic, including docking and undocking, as well as open-sea survey and transit. These scenarios involve continuous operator supervision and remote control from a shore-based control centre or a support vessel. The AiP applies to the defined operating conditions and includes technical recommendations for further development.
The L42B is an 8.51-metre aluminium catamaran designed for marine survey missions. Its modular payload platform can accommodate multibeam echo sounders, side-scan sonars and magnetometers for seabed mapping, subsea pipeline surveys and environmental monitoring. Under still-water conditions at an operating speed of four knots, the vessel is designed for missions lasting up to eight days. Its stated maximum range is 1,500 kilometres.
The vessel combines diesel generators, electric propulsion and lithium iron phosphate batteries. Multiple communication links support remotely supervised operations in coastal and offshore environments, enabling operators to monitor navigation and intervene when required. These capabilities are intended to increase deployment flexibility and help reduce personnel exposure during offshore survey activities.
A certificate awarding ceremony was held on 16 October 2026, attended by Mr. Maciej Lepicki, Greater China Vice President of Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore, and Mr. Pinestone Shi, General Manager of OceanAlpha.
“Receiving AiP from Bureau Veritas is a remarkable milestone in the development of the L42B,” said Mr. Pinestone Shi, General Manager of OceanAlpha. “The independent review provides valuable technical feedback as we continue to refine the vessel’s design and remote-operation capabilities. Our focus remains on delivering reliable, practical USV products and solutions for marine survey customers worldwide.”
About OceanAlpha
Founded in 2010, OceanAlpha develops and manufactures uncrewed surface vessels and integrated solutions for hydrographic surveying, offshore operations, maritime security, water rescue and firefighting. The company combines vessel engineering, payload integration and remote-operation technologies to support customers across international marine markets. Learn more at www.oceanalpha.com
Note: The opinions, beliefs, and viewpoints expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinions of offshore-energy.biz.