First remotely operated uncrewed surface vessel certified by LR

The certification was issued under the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) Workboat Code Edition 3 (WBC3) Annex 2. The hydrogen-powered USV Pioneer, owned by ACUA Ocean, is the first vessel to achieve compliance.

Introduced by the MCA in December 2023, the WBC3 requirements set out safety and operational standards for uncrewed remotely operated USVs operating in UK waters.

LR was the first certifying authority to be authorised by the MCA to issue certificates under Annex 2 and now becomes the first to complete a full certification process for an operational remote-controlled USV.

The certification supports Pioneer’s upcoming sea trials under the UK Clean Maritime Demonstrator Competition (CMDC), which showcases innovative technologies aimed at accelerating maritime decarbonisation.

ACUA Ocean plans to complete CMDC trial activities under hydrogen operation before undertaking further development work on hybrid and electric variants of Pioneer.

LR principal specialist Anderson Chaplow said, “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 remote-controlled USVs 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.”

ACUA Ocean chief executive Neil Tinmouth described certification under Annex 2 of WBC3 as “a major milestone for ACUA and the industry.” 

Developed by Plymouth-based ACUA Ocean, Pioneer is a hydrogen-powered, long-endurance USV designed for offshore surveillance, monitoring and inspection. It has a hydrogen fuel cell propulsion system, 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.