Lloyd’s Register has moved further into commercial assurance for uncrewed vessels after certifying projects for ACUA Ocean, XOCEAN and Fugro under a UK regulatory pathway for remotely operated unmanned vessels, according to Lloyd’s Register.
The classification society became the first certifying authority authorised by the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency to certify Remotely Operated Unmanned Vessels under Workboat Code Edition 3 Annex 2 in 2025.
LR said the framework has moved from regulatory approval into operational use. It certified ACUA Ocean’s hydrogen-powered USV Pioneer as the first ROUV under the WBC3 framework in August 2025, then completed full certification of the vessel in a diesel-electric hybrid configuration.
The same framework has also been used for certifications covering XOCEAN’s X-30 and X-31 and Fugro’s Blue Eclipse 1.
LR is separately working with Fugro on a fleet-based model for in-service survey and maintenance of certifications for uncrewed surface vessels. The arrangement replaces vessel-by-vessel contracting with a broader framework intended to reduce administration, speed up deployment and maintain compliance with safety and operational standards.
The company has also issued an LR UMS Certificate to RNMB Hydra, a naval mine countermeasures vessel developed by ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK for the Royal Navy. LR said the certification provides assurance for operations including mine hunting and sweeping.
The work follows LR’s introduction of a goal-based UMS Code in 2017 and covers projects in both naval and commercial markets.
Lloyd’s Register is a classification society and maritime assurance provider. ACUA Ocean develops uncrewed surface vessels for offshore and maritime operations.
XOCEAN operates remotely operated uncrewed vessels for offshore data acquisition. Fugro provides geodata and marine survey services. ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK is a maritime and defence systems company.