01oceannews2026-11-02
OceanAlpha L42B Survey USV Earns Bureau Veritas Approval in Principle (opens in a new tab)
OceanAlpha’s L42B uncrewed surface vessel (USV) received Approval in Principle (AiP) from Bureau Veritas on July 31, 2026, after its design and operations were reviewed against autonomous shipping guidelines. The 8.51-meter aluminum catamaran is built for offshore hydrographic and geophysical surveys, supporting missions up to eight days with a 1,500 km range. It features modular payloads for seabed mapping and combines diesel-electric propulsion with remote supervision capabilities. The AiP confirms compliance with defined operating conditions and includes recommendations for further development.