Remote-controlled vessel development was kicked up a notch this year with the January delivery of the 24m-long uncrewed surface vessel (USV) REACH REMOTE 1. The vessel, which is primarily intended for offshore surveys and subsea intervention work, was designed by Kongsberg Maritime and developed in collaboration with offshore engineering services firm Reach Subsea, Kongsberg/Wilhelmsen joint venture Massterly and shipbuilder Trosvik Maritime, and with additional assistance (and regulatory clarifications) provided by classification society Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and the Norwegian Maritime Authority.
REACH REMOTE 1 was delivered after several days of sea trials, in which the USV was monitored and controlled from a temporary remote operations centre (ROC) installed aboard a nearby support vessel, Avant. The USV, which has been designed solely for entirely crew-free missions, will begin its working life by conducting underwater surveys off the coast of Haugesand, Norway, controlled from the land-based Massterly ROC in Horten, Norway – although Reach Subsea predicts more wide-scale applications beyond this initial purpose, as the technology becomes more familiar. Additionally, a second USV, REACH REMOTE 2, is close to commencing sea trials.
Kongsberg Maritime served as the prime contractor for this project, overseeing the USV’s design, its delivery from Trosvik, the supply chain management and systems integration and commissioning. What’s particularly interesting is the way that the boat manages to pack a substantial amount of features (including scientific sensors, two ROV garages, an ROV launch and recovery system and a moonpool…not to mention a hybrid diesel-electric powertrain) into its compact dimensions, making full use of the space saved by removing onboard crew from the equation.
It’s also a great testament to Kongsberg Maritime’s technology, which we’ve covered in both The Naval Architect and Ship & Boat International in recent years, including the company’s involvement in the Horizon 2020 AUTOSHIP live demos and the deliveries of the autonomy-ready coastal container ship Yara Birkeland and ASKO’s so-called ‘AutoBarges’, Marit and Therese.
Don’t miss the March 2025 issue of The Naval Architect for the full, in-depth interview with Kongsberg Maritime and Reach Subsea.
