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, the hydrogen-powered PIONEER from ACUA Ocean.
The WBC3 requirements, introduced by the MCA in December 2023, set safety and operational standards for ROUVs in UK waters. LR is the first certifying authority authorised to issue certificates under Annex 2 and has now completed its first full certification process for an operational vessel.
The certification will support PIONEER’s upcoming sea trials under the UK Clean Maritime Demonstrator Competition, which promotes technologies aimed at accelerating maritime decarbonisation.
ACUA Ocean plans to complete hydrogen-powered trials before developing hybrid and electric variants of the vessel.
“This certification represents a major step forward – not just for ACUA Ocean or LR, but for the wider UK maritime industry,” said Anderson Chaplow, Principal Specialist, LR.
“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.”
