Hydrogen-powered USV becomes first UK-certified remotely operated and unmanned vessel

Classification and compliance services provider Lloyd’s Register has issued the UK’s first certification for a remotely operated and unmanned vessel (ROUV), awarded to ACUA Ocean’s hydrogen-powered long-endurance uncrewed surface vessel (USV).

The certification for ACUA Ocean’s PIONEER has been issued under the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) Workboat Code Edition 3 (WBC3) Annex 2. Introduced in December 2023, the WBC3 requirements set out safety and operational standards for ROUVs operating in UK waters.

Lloyd’s Register was the first certifying authority to be authorised by the MCA to issue certificates under Annex 2 and has now become the first to complete a full certification process for an operational ROUV. 

PIONEER is said to feature an integrated hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system, advanced autonomous navigation, remote command capabilities, and a modular design tailored to a variety of offshore operations, such as environmental monitoring, maritime domain awareness, and offshore infrastructure inspection.

The certification supports the USVs upcoming sea trials under the UK Clean Maritime Demonstrator Competition (CMDC), which showcases innovative technologies aimed at accelerating maritime decarbonization. ACUA Ocean plans to complete CMDC trial activities under hydrogen operation before undertaking further development work on hybrid and electric variants of PIONEER.

“This certification represents a major step forward – not just for ACUA Ocean or LR, but for the wider UK maritime industry. It proves that certification of small, complex ROUVs under Annex 2 is achievable and sets a precedent for others in the industry to follow. It also shows what’s possible when developers, regulators and classification societies collaborate to bring emerging technologies safely into operation,” said Anderson Chaplow, Principal Specialist at Lloyd’s Register.

“We’re grateful for the opportunity to work with ACUA Ocean and the ongoing support of the MCA in the development and implementation of these new standards, which will be critical as more complex autonomous systems enter operation.”

LR said it expects to issue further WBC3 Annex 2 certifications in the months ahead.