First unit of ‘world’s first charter fleet of fully autonomous USVs’ hits the water (Gallery)

A UK-built 12-meter-long autonomous uncrewed surface vessel (USV), designed for long-distance over-the-horizon operations, has hit the water for the first time, with three sister vessels soon to follow.

After nearly 18 months of design, engineering, and build, UK-headquartered Zero USV launched its inaugural Oceanus12 USV to the water for the first time at Manor Marine in Portland, Dorset, this week, with the vessel now ready for commissioning and integration trials from the company’s home port of Plymouth.

The second vessel in the Oceanus12 series is expected to be completed in late March and vessels three and four “hot on their heels”, coming one step closer to offering the “world’s first charter fleet of fully autonomous USVs”, Zero USV said. An official boat naming ceremony is scheduled for the spring.

According to the company, Oceanus12 is designed for long-distance over-the-horizon operations and is mission agnostic, allowing a wide range of potential applications from surveys and monitoring of critical assets to safety, geophysical surveys, border control, fisheries, and defense, among others.

The vessel series features a twin hybrid-electric drive system, with twin drives for redundancy and efficiency coupled with sufficient onboard fuel for a cruising range of more than 2,500 nautical miles, and uses MarineAI’s Guardian software, a fully autonomous software stack.

“We’ve created the world’s first complete solution – not just a cutting-edge 12m over-the-horizon USV available for charter, but also full maintenance and support to ensure 24/7 operations with minimal downtime,” said Zero USV Founder Matthew Ratsey.
 
“Designed with safety and efficiency in mind, Oceanus12 can take on a wide range of offshore over-the-horizon tasks that would typically require a crew, eliminating on-water risks and associated costs, including significant environmental benefits afforded by it being crewless For clients, this means greater flexibility, enhanced operational efficiency, and zero crew expenses.”

The Oceanus12 fleet initially comprises over 12 vessels, including the option for an Extra Long Range (XLR) version of 13 meters in length and carrying over 4,000 liters of fuel.

Zero USV noted that significant interest had been generated since the charter business model was announced a year ago which has led to opportunities for the first two vessels, with more information to be revealed in the coming weeks.