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British SME ZeroUSV is one step closer to offering the world\u2019s first charter fleet of fully autonomous uncrewed surface vessels after its inaugural Oceanus12 touched the water for the first time at Manor Marine in Portland, Dorset, this week.<\/p>\n
The fully equipped vessel is now ready for commissioning and integration trials from ZeroUSV\u2019s home port of Plymouth. The launching of the first Oceanus12 represents the culmination of nearly 18 months of design, engineering and build effort from the team at ZeroUSV which has been built on the success of the Mayflower 400\u2019s transatlantic autonomous voyage \u2013 a milestone achieved through the same inter-company collaborations between Zero USV\u2019s parent company MSubs, their non-profit Promare, and sister marine software company MarineAI.<\/p>\n
The launch of the first vessel in the Oceanus12 series, does not though mean any let up in the pace and the coming weeks will see a series of key milestones achieved, with vessel two due to be completed in late March and vessels three and four hot on their heels. An official boat naming ceremony is scheduled for the spring, with a line-up of VIPs on the guest list.<\/p>\n
The Oceanus12, designed for long distance over-the-horizon operations, has also been designed to be mission agnostic, allowing a wide range of potential applications: from surveys and monitoring of critical assets to safety, geophysical surveys, border control, fisheries, defence and more. Since the \u201ccharter\u201d business model was first announced just under 12 months ago, significant interest has been generated which has led to exciting opportunities for these first two vessels, information on which will be announced in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n
The Oceanus12 is groundbreaking in multiple areas of technology: from its hybrid-electric drive system, with twin drives for redundancy and efficiency coupled with sufficient onboard fuel for a cruising range of more than 2500 nautical miles, to the use of the only truly fully autonomous software stack on the market \u2013 MarineAI\u2019s Guardian software.<\/p>\n The Oceanus12\u2019s represents a seismic shift in what is possible with an uncrewed 12m vessel. With ZeroUSV not only owning and operating the vessels, but also the ROC (remote observation centre), the Oceanus12 is a true \u201cturnkey\u201d package for charter customers.<\/p>\n Zero USV founder Matthew Ratsey, said: \u201cOceanus12 presents a quantum leap forward in autonomous maritime technology and this is a seminal moment for the team here at ZeroUSV.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve created the world\u2019s first complete solution \u2013 not just a cutting-edge 12m over-the-horizon USV available for charter, but also full maintenance and support to ensure 24\/7 operations with minimal downtime.<\/p>\n \u201cDesigned with safety and efficiency in mind, Oceanus12 can take on a wide range of offshore over-the-horizon tasks that would typically require a crew, eliminating on-water risks and associated costs, including significant environmental benefits afforded by it being crewless For clients, this means greater flexibility, enhanced operational efficiency, and zero crew expenses.\u201d<\/p>\n Utilising a suite of world-class marine sensors, including the internationally renowned mm-wave Navtech Radar, Oceanus12 integrates multiple data streams into MarineAI\u2019s GuardianAI autonomy software. This enables real-time processing and analysis, ensuring COLREG-compliant vessel control and navigation.<\/p>\n Oceanus12 Specifications<\/strong><\/p>\n Green Credentials<\/em><\/p>\n Twin Electric Hybrid Drive giving redundancy and efficiency Customisable Design<\/em><\/p>\n Adaptable payload bay Full Autonomy<\/em><\/p>\n GuardianAI full stack autonomy software by MarineAI installed as standard Over-the-Horizon<\/em><\/p>\n Large fuel capacity for extended missions c. 2500Nm Technical specification<\/em><\/p>\n Length Overall: 11.55m The Oceanus12 fleet \u2013 comprising initially over 12 vessels, including the option for an XLR (Extra Long Range) version stretching to 13 meters in length and carrying over 4000 litres of fuel and ensuring Oceanus12 is capable of spending not just weeks, but months continuously operating on higher endurance journeys \u2013 will be available in the UK, North America, Canada and Australia as Zero USV rolls out its USVs with global partners.<\/p>\n![\"first](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.marineinsight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/first-Oceanus12.png?resize=1200%2C628&ssl=1\")
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\nLow Fuel Consumption
\nSolar charging for house and emergency loads<\/p>\n
\nSensor agnostic
\nQuick change keel (sensor strut) allowing preloaded sensors to be swapped in\/out with minimal downtime<\/p>\n
\nFully loaded autonomous sensor suite including HD Radar from Navtech.
\nRemote control option<\/p>\n
\nSix knot cruising speed with sprint speed of 10 knots (subject to payload)<\/p>\n
\nWaterline Length: 11.40m
\nMax Beam: 2.33m
\nDisplacement: 6 tonnes
\nHull Type: Monohull
\nHull Construction: Aluminium
\nInstalled Power: software limited to 40Kw, available 80Kw.
\nSpeed: 6 knots cruising, 10 knots sprint.
\nEndurance: 2000+Nautical miles
\nFuel Capacity: 1200 Litres
\nPayload: up to 1 tonne
\nDraft: 1.76m<\/p>\n