Editorial comment
A GOOD MONTH FOR AUTONOMY AND REMOTE CONTROL
Pioneer Workboat Code 3, Annex 2
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n the July 2025 issue of The Naval Architect, we covered the ups and downs of uncrewed surface
vessel (USV) manufacture in the UK, in both our Uncrewed Vessels feature and the Editorial Comment. At that time, Matthew Ratsey, MD of Plymouth-based Zero USV, expressed his concerns that a mixture of outdated regulations and politics may be hampering the UK USV sector’s ability to on the December 2023 publication of the Maritime & Coastguard Agency’s (MCA’s) Workboat Code 3 operational standards for remotely operated vessels in UK waters): “Why, after 18 months, has nobody got a USV through WBC3, Annex 2?”
It's good to see, then, that one uncrewed vessel has made the grade, with the announcement that ACUA Ocean’s remotely operated and unmanned vessel (ROUV) Pioneer has received the relevant Lloyd's Register (see Drone Tech, page 16). Hopefully, this will set a precedent for future with these rigorous standards is achievable and encouraging UK developers to innovate in autonomous and uncrewed maritime technologies while ensuring safety (not to mention decarbonisation).
Elsewhere this month, we take a look at Wind- Assisted Propulsion, which is emerging as one of the fastest-growing ‘green tech’ solutions of the
THE NAVAL ARCHITECT
(see page 38), it’s not just a case of installing sails bulkers and tankers: how these sails interact with the onboard engines and propulsive systems is crucial if shipowners are to optimise their overall energy savings. Utilising AI and real-time data, possible, through a series of engine and sail energy trade-offs – while, as a bonus, reducing crew workloads.
Unsurprisingly, uncrewed vessels were also on the agenda at RINA’s Warship 2025 conference, hosted in Glasgow in June. Professor David Andrews of University College London (UCL) provides a summary of the event and some of the papers and keynotes (see pages 18-20), which included a presentation by Captain Mohayed Magzoub, R.N., head of force development in the UK MoD. Magzoub told attendees that he foresees a blend of crewed and uncrewed warships on the horizon – and had some interesting comparisons to make between naval vessel design and that childhood staple, Lego. We hope to bring more you in- depth coverage of some of the individual papers presented at the conference in future issues of The Naval Architect. ■
Martin Conway, Managing Editor
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