The first unmanned marine systems (UMS) certificate has been awarded to SEA-KIT International by Lloyd’s Register, representing an important milestone for the maritime industry.
“We are absolutely delighted to be the first to receive UMS certification from Lloyd’s Register and hope that this will be the first of many as we continue to push boundaries and set the highest standards in the development of safe, multimission USV [unmanned surface vessel] platforms,” said Ben Simpson, SEA-KIT’s chief executive officer.
SEA-KIT has worked closely with Lloyd’s Register since early 2020 to achieve the highest standards for the sector, culminating in their latest 12-m USV being awarded the new UMS certification on 28 June.
“Lloyd’s Register has been working on the safety assurance of unmanned marine systems since the launch of our UMS Code in 2017,” said Paul James, Lloyd’s Register’s Naval Centre of Expertise manager. “Early on, we recognized the industry’s need for a cost-effective and robust method to demonstrate that unmanned novel and complex systems are safe.”
The recently certified SEA-KIT X UAV will be used by geodata specialist Fugro. As use of unmanned systems technologies continues to increase in the offshore sector, Fugro’s SEA-KIT USVs are already working on commercial projects around the world, with multiple additional builds planned that include a larger vessel later this year.
“This is a ground-breaking milestone as it provides the framework needed to certify the safe design and build of our Blue Essence USV fleet,” said Ivar de Josselin de Jong, Fugro’s global director for remote inspection. “It will enable us, our clients, and the flag states to achieve the ambitious net-zero targets that we have set.”
SEA-KIT has identified numerous applications for its USV technology in other marine sectors and recently ran a series of live capability demonstrations for maritime defense and security stakeholders from its base in Tollesbury, Essex, UK.