British SME ZeroUSV is one step closer to offering the world’s first charter fleet of fully autonomous uncrewed surface vessels after its inaugural Oceanus12 touched the water for the first time at Manor Marine in Portland, Dorset, this week.
The fully equipped vessel is now ready for commissioning and integration trials from ZeroUSV’s home port of Plymouth. The launching of the first Oceanus12 represents the culmination of nearly 18 months of design, engineering and build effort from the team at ZeroUSV which has been built on the success of the Mayflower 400’s transatlantic autonomous voyage – a milestone achieved through the same inter-company collaborations between Zero USV’s parent company MSubs, their non-profit Promare, and sister marine software company MarineAI.
The launch of the first vessel in the Oceanus12 series, does not though mean any let up in the pace and the coming weeks will see a series of key milestones achieved, with vessel two due to be completed in late March and vessels three and four hot on their heels. An official boat naming ceremony is scheduled for the spring, with a line-up of VIPs on the guest list.
The Oceanus12, designed for long distance over-the-horizon operations, has also been designed to be mission agnostic, allowing a wide range of potential applications: from surveys and monitoring of critical assets to safety, geophysical surveys, border control, fisheries, defence and more. Since the “charter” business model was first announced just under 12 months ago, significant interest has been generated which has led to exciting opportunities for these first two vessels, information on which will be announced in the coming weeks.
The Oceanus12 is groundbreaking in multiple areas of technology: from its hybrid-electric drive system, with twin drives for redundancy and efficiency coupled with sufficient onboard fuel for a cruising range of more than 2500 nautical miles, to the use of the only truly fully autonomous software stack on the market – MarineAI’s Guardian software. The Oceanus12’s represents a seismic shift in what is possible with an uncrewed 12m vessel. With ZeroUSV not only owning and operating the vessels, but also the ROC (remote observation centre), the Oceanus12 is a true “turnkey” package for charter customers.
Zero USV founder Matthew Ratsey, said: “Oceanus12 presents a quantum leap forward in autonomous maritime technology and this is a seminal moment for the team here at ZeroUSV.
“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.
“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.”
Utilising a suite of world-class marine sensors, including the internationally renowned mm-wave Navtech Radar, Oceanus12 integrates multiple data streams into MarineAI’s GuardianAI autonomy software. This enables real-time processing and analysis, ensuring COLREG-compliant vessel control and navigation.
Veson Nautical (Veson), a global leader in maritime data and freight management solutions has opened a new office in Dubai as part of an enhanced commitment to one of the world’s most important shipping hubs.
This strategic expansion is aimed at bringing Veson closer to its growing regional client base and reinforcing its role in shaping the future of maritime technology and data solutions in the region.
Speaking at an event being held in Dubai by Veson to coincide with the opening of the new office, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Russ Hubbard said: “Veson Nautical is steadfast in its commitment to our clients and their success.
“Over the past several years, the UAE has done a phenomenal job of establishing itself as a global maritime hub, and our clients have embraced the UAE as both a regional and global centre of excellence. We are enthusiastic about the future in the gulf and look forward to supporting and enabling the decision advantages of our hundreds of clients in the region.”
Veson CEO, John Veson, travelled to Dubai to open the new office and the occasion was marked by the company staging the inaugural ‘Veson Nautical Dubai Forum & Networking Event’. Held at the Sofitel JBR hotel, the event brought together over 60 esteemed clients and guests to discuss a range of regional and global issues affecting the maritime industry.
As well as an in-depth question and answer session with John Veson, the topics discussed included the future proofing of Gulf shipping, the global impact of AI technology as well as the impact of new regulations on ship asset valuations.
Veson’s Dubai office, which is located at Uptown Tower in the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC), will serve as a key hub for client engagement, implementation support, and industry collaboration.
With a heritage of innovation and expertise across all maritime related contracts, Veson serves more than 38,000 users across 2,400 companies in more than 100 countries. The Dubai office adds to the six centres of excellence Veson already operates in Boston, London, Singapore, Tokyo, Houston and Athens.
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