ACUA Ocean’s USV PIONEER becomes the first ROUV certified under the UK Workboat Code 3

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.

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

Launched in December 2024, USV PIONEER is a 47ft, 25-ton unmanned surface vessel featuring advanced autonomous navigation, remote command capabilities, and a modular design tailored to a variety of offshore operations, including environmental monitoring, maritime domain awareness, and offshore infrastructure inspection.

PIONEER’s novel SWATH design provides enhanced stability in higher seastates including operational availability for the launch and recovery of payloads such as ROV’s in up to 4m significant wave heights. PIONEER features a moonpool, designed to rapidly integrate a range of interchangeable modular payloads based on 1x 20ft or 2x 10ft ISO standard containerised solutions of up to 6.5 tons. Planned work with the offshore sector includes survey, ROV and AUV deployments for light inspection and intervention work, as well as logistics for offshore platforms.

The world-first WBC3 certification supports PIONEER’s advanced technical sea trials under the UK Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC), which showcases innovative technologies aimed at accelerating maritime decarbonisation. Data from the sea trials continue to validate PIONEER’s enhanced stability and increased reliability and capability over competitors.

Speaking at the announcement of the approval, 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."

On completion of sea trials, PIONEER is heading from her home port of Plymouth to London, for the DSEI defence conference, before travelling up the Thames to Tower Bridge for London International Shipping Week.