The UK’s push into unmanned maritime operations just got a significant boost. A consortium led by ACUA Ocean, a pioneer in unmanned vessel development, has secured government backing to build a 145-foot autonomous offshore support vessel. This isn’t just another project—it’s a leap toward scaling up autonomous operations for offshore energy, logistics, and surveillance.
The Project MROS consortium, which includes Houlder, Ad Hoc Marine Designs, Trident Marine, and the University of Southampton, received funding earlier this year under the UK Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition. Now, they’re diving into resistance and seakeeping tank tests, led by the Southampton Marine & Maritime Institute and the Wolfson Unit. This vessel isn’t just a prototype; it’s a stepping stone toward a future where unmanned ships are the norm.
The 43-metre vessel will be a marvel of modern engineering, featuring hybrid-electric propulsion and the ability to operate autonomously, remotely, or with a small crew. Designers are evaluating methanol fuel for efficiency and emissions reduction, alongside hydrogen, ammonia, and diesel variants. This flexibility in fuel options underscores a commitment to sustainability, a critical factor in today’s maritime industry.
Building on ACUA’s 14-metre Pioneer-class USV, the new platform incorporates a Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) design to reduce motions in high sea states. The Pioneer made history this year as the first uncrewed surface vessel to receive UK MCA Workboat Code 3 approval, providing invaluable operational data for the larger MROS design.
The MROS vessel will offer DP1 station keeping, a 2,500-nautical-mile range, endurance of more than 20 days, and sprint speeds above 20 knots. It’s designed for roles such as offshore logistics, surveillance, subsea inspection, intervention, and offshore commissioning and decommissioning. With a payload capacity of 80 tonnes, including space for ISO-standard containers and a moonpool configured for twin launch and recovery systems for ROVs and XUUVs, this vessel is set to redefine versatility in maritime operations.
ACUA Ocean will announce additional system-integration partners in the coming months as it develops modular mission payloads for both the Pioneer and MROS fleets. This collaborative approach ensures that the technology remains cutting-edge and adaptable to a wide range of missions.
Neil Tinmouth, CEO of ACUA Ocean, captured the essence of the project: “The MROS project builds on ACUA Ocean’s proven ability to deploy proven and certified vessels. Most excitingly, this new design offers significant capability and cost-saving benefits over other USVs currently in development; delivering new solutions for a range of offshore commercial partners.”
This project isn’t just about building a vessel; it’s about pioneering a new era in maritime autonomy. The MROS vessel could set a new benchmark for efficiency, sustainability, and operational versatility. As the consortium moves forward with testing and development, the maritime industry watches closely, ready to embrace the advancements that will undoubtedly emerge from this groundbreaking initiative.