The certification represents a significant development in the evolution of regulatory pathways for uncrewed and autonomous vessels operating in UK waters.

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has issued the UK’s first certification for a remotely operated and unmanned vessel (ROUV) under the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) Workboat Code Edition 3 (WBC3) Annex 2, with hydrogen-powered PIONEER from ACUA Ocean becoming the first vessel to achieve compliance.

Introduced by the MCA in December 2023, the WBC3 requirements set out safety and operational standards for ROUVs 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 ROUV.

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.

Anderson Chaplow, Principal Specialist, LR, 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 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.

“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.”

Neil Tinmouth, CEO, ACUA Ocean said: “This certification under Annex 2 of the WBC 3 is a major milestone for ACUA and the industry. It’s a testament to our team’s commitment and focus on developing robust and reliable ROUVs to the highest standards, and it highlights our commitment to driving innovation and collaboration across the maritime sector.”

Developed by Plymouth-based ACUA Ocean, PIONEER is a hydrogen-powered, long-endurance uncrewed surface vessel (USV) designed for offshore surveillance, monitoring, and inspection.

PIONEER features 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.

LR continues to work with operators across the ROUV and autonomous vessel community and expects to issue further WBC3 Annex 2 certifications in the months ahead.