A UK-led consortium has secured government backing to develop a new class of medium-sized uncrewed support vessels (USVs), marking a significant step forward in maritime innovation.
As Brookes Bell explained, the project MROS consortium, headed by unmanned systems specialist Acua Ocean, was awarded funding in May 2025 under the Department for Transport’s Clean Maritime Demonstration Competition (CMDC) programme.
Since receiving support, the partners have been advancing designs for a 43-metre USV, with resistance and seakeeping tank testing now underway at the Southampton University Marine and Maritime Institute and the Wolfson Unit.
Acua Ocean has confirmed that the vessel is being developed with a hybrid-electric propulsion system, designed to operate either autonomously or with an optional crew.
Prototype designs are exploring methanol fuel as a sustainable option, with efficiency, performance, maintainability, and emissions reductions compared against hydrogen, ammonia, and diesel variants.
The new vessel will adopt a Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull (SWATH) design, similar to Acua Ocean’s earlier USV Pioneer. This configuration is optimised for low motions and platform stability in high sea states, allowing for reliable operations in challenging offshore environments.
The MROS USVs are intended to perform a wide range of tasks, including offshore logistics, maritime surveillance, subsea inspection and intervention, and the commissioning and decommissioning of offshore infrastructure.
Each craft will be capable of carrying up to 80 tonnes and will feature a moonpool configured with space for twin launch and recovery systems. This will allow deployment of a variety of underwater payloads, including tethered or untethered remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs).
The consortium brings together a range of expertise from across the maritime sector. Alongside Acua Ocean, partners include Houlder, Ad Hoc Marine Designs, Trident Marine and the University of Southampton. Together, they aim to deliver a vessel that combines advanced autonomy with practical utility, supporting the UK’s broader ambitions for clean maritime technology and offshore innovation.