NMA - Experts & Thought Leaders

A new era of offshore operations has begun with the successful delivery of REACH REMOTE 1, a 24-metre unmanned surface vessel (USV) designed by Kongsberg Maritime. This ground-breaking achievement marks a significant milestone through collaboration between Kongsberg Maritime, REACH SUBSEA ASA, Massterly, and Trosvik Maritime. Intensive sea trials Designed to revolutionise offshore operations, the REACH REMOTE 1 is packed with cutting-edge KONGSBERG technology. Its delivery follows a programme of intensive sea trials, overseen by the classification society Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and the Norwegian Maritime Authority. Its initial mission will be to conduct underwater surveys off the coast of Haugesund, Norway, but its potential applications extend far beyond this. The second vessel, REACH REMOTE 2 is now expected to begin sea trials. Responsibility for vessel design Kongsberg Maritime served as the prime contractor for this turnkey project for vessel design Bjørg Mathisen Døving, Vice President (VP) - Reach Remote of REACH SUBSEA, said: “Reach Remote is an extraordinary journey, bringing together the unique expertise of Kongsberg Maritime, Reach Subsea, and Massterly shaping the future of uncrewed offshore operations. We are thrilled to see the Reach Remote 1 set sail and prepared for its first mission.” Kongsberg Maritime served as the prime contractor for this turnkey project, taking responsibility for vessel design, yard delivery, supply chain management, systems integration, and commissioning. The company’s deep expertise in maritime technology was instrumental in bringing this innovative concept to life. Future of offshore activities “What began as a visionary idea has now become a tangible reality,” said Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, President of Kongsberg Maritime. Lisa Edvardsen Haugan adds, “The REACH REMOTE 1USV is a testament to our commitment to pushing the boundaries of maritime technology. We are proud to have partnered with REACH SUBSEA, Massterly and Trosvik Maritime on this pioneering project. As the world transitions towards more sustainable and efficient operations, this pioneering class of vessel is poised to play a vital role in shaping the future of offshore activities.” Key feature of the REACH REMOTE USV design A key feature of the REACH REMOTE USV design is its ability to operate without a crew remotely from the ROC During the sea trials, the USV was monitored and controlled from a temporary, mobile Remote Operations Centre (ROC) located onboard a support vessel Avant, which stayed close by during several days of trials. When the USV starts pilot operations, Massterly, which is a joint venture between Kongsberg Maritime and Wilhelmsen, will control the USV from the land-based ROC in Horten, Norway. A key feature of the REACH REMOTE USV design is its ability to operate without a crew, controlled remotely from the ROC. This approach offers significant advantages in terms of operating costs, safety, and emissions, when compared to carrying out the same duties with a much larger, crewed vessel. Regulatory challenges with uncrewed vessels To ensure the highest levels of safety and reliability, Kongsberg Maritime has incorporated proven technology into the vessel's design. The company worked closely with Det Norske Veritas (DNV) and the Norwegian Maritime Authority to navigate the unique regulatory challenges associated with uncrewed vessels. Increased remote and autonomous functionality will be gradually introduced in a stepwise approach pending technology readiness.

REACH Subsea’s ground-breaking uncrewed surface vessel, REACH REMOTE 1, has received the Skipsrevven Ship of the Year 2024 award at the SMM exhibition in Hamburg. The 24-metre REACH REMOTE 1 is the first of a pair of uncrewed offshore surface vessels designed and delivered by Kongsberg Maritime to Norwegian company REACH SUBSEA ASA. REACH REMOTE USV design Crammed with state-of-the-art KONGSBERG technology, the vessels will initially carry out underwater survey duties off the coast of Haugesund in southern Norway, and with global interest in this disruptive approach to traditional duties, many more are set to follow. A key feature of the REACH REMOTE USV design is its ability to operate without a crew, controlled remotely. This approach offers significant advantages in terms of operating costs, safety, and emissions, when compared to carrying out the same duties with a much larger, crewed vessel. Range of technologies Kongsberg Maritime has taken on the role of prime contractor, with firm also liable for vessel design In a unique approach to delivery, Kongsberg Maritime has taken on the role of prime contractor, with the company also responsible for vessel design, REACH REMOTE is a true turnkey project. Packed with a range of technologies, this pioneering project has involved a range of companies including KONGSBERG, REACH Subsea, Trosvik Maritime AS, Massterly, DNV, Kystdesign and the Norwegian Maritime Authorities (NMA). REACH REMOTE vessels Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, President – Kongsberg Maritime, said, “We are extremely proud to have played such a pivotal role in this project and are absolutely delighted to have been recognised alongside our valued partners at REACH Subsea for the innovation and cutting-edge technology that makes the REACH REMOTE vessels such a gamechanger for our industry.” Speaking at the award ceremony, COO of Reach Subsea, Inge Grutle said: “We are very proud to be awarded the Ship of the Year award for our first uncrewed vessel, the Reach Remote 1, which we are confident will be the first in a series of many to support our ambition to give our clients sustainable access to the ocean space”. Reach Remote project Reach Subsea CEO, Jostein Alendal, said: “To revolutionise an industry, you need to innovate. To innovate you need people within the organisation and partners alongside you who can think big, think differently, and overcome the challenges that arise along the way. The Reach Remote project is a powerful testament to this, and I am immensely proud to see that what were once bold ideas are now coming to life.” “We are committed to seeing this through to full operation. Winning the Ship of the Year award is a tremendous boost and a great source of motivation for our teams. We look forward to continuing the great cooperation established with KONGSBERG and Massterly as we scale up Reach Remote vessels in the future.” UT 5208 USV vessels ROV will feature a robust robotic arm to enable simple underwater tasks, such as adjusting valves Reach Subsea’s Vice President of Reach Remote, Bjørg Mathisen Døving, added: “To be part of such a ground-breaking project has been a joyride and I have had the time of my life. I am so proud of the unstoppable efforts from the diverse teams, and I truly believe this project is a lighthouse for the industry”. The UT 5208 USV vessels are designed for uncrewed subsea operations. KONGSBERG is providing the handling equipment for the ROV, as well as hull-mounted sensors for survey work. The ROV will feature a robust robotic arm to enable simple underwater tasks, such as adjusting valves or moving debris. The vessels will be controlled from a remote operations centre where one captain will be able to control several vessels at the same time. REACH REMOTE fleet Massterly, which is a joint venture between Kongsberg Maritime and Wilhelmsen, will monitor and control the vessels from its Remote Operations Centre (ROC) in Horten, Norway. REACH Subsea has responsibility for all the client interfaces and its teams will operate ROVs from their Operations Centre. Initially, this will be based in Haugesund but this capability can be deployed globally through a network mobile, container-based Operations Centres, as the REACH REMOTE fleet expands. For the initial deployment, the vessels will be followed by a support vessel in the early stages of operation, before transitioning to remote and autonomous control.

The Maritime Technologies Forum (MTF) has released a new report offering guidelines and key safety considerations for developing liquefied hydrogen bunkering systems and procedures. The report underlines the potential use of hydrogen as a zero-emission fuel to meet the IMO Strategy on Reduction of GHG Emissions from Ships by 2050. It acknowledges the challenges associated with bunkering hydrogen as a marine fuel and as maritime cargo, identifying design and functional implications and limitations. Key observations Based on the findings of the publication, MTF has outlined the following key observations: The properties of hydrogen, and in particular the very low temperature of liquefied hydrogen, mean that experience gained from bunkering arrangements for liquid natural gas, LNG, cannot be re-used directly. The bunkering process will be more complex than it is for LNG since no nitrogen can be present inside the piping systems when liquefied hydrogen is introduced, as this will freeze and clog the systems. The material choices and need for more insulated components and piping will also be slightly different. The development of vessel-specific procedures for bunkering operations, such as more automated bunkering procedures, will be necessary. The added complexities will mean that the need for crew training and certification is of even higher importance than for other bunkering processes. The Safety Management Systems should be updated to cater for the additional safety aspects with liquefied hydrogen bunkering, as outlined in another work carried out by MTF, ‘Guidelines to develop and implement a Safety Management System for alternative fuels on board ships’. Advance safer bunkering operations Commenting on the guidelines and the planned submission to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), Alf Tore Sørheim, Acting Director General of Shipping and Navigation at the Norwegian Maritime Authority, said, "With the current lack of international standards covering bunkering of liquefied hydrogen, these guidelines are especially important to help industry develop and advance safer bunkering operations." Alf Tore Sørheim adds, "This is why the Flag state members of MTF are jointly submitting this report to the IMO to provide recommendations and offer a framework to consider when developing liquefied hydrogen bunkering requirements."  Addressing liquefied hydrogen bunkering Further commenting on the report, Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen, CEO, of DNV Maritime, said, "Hydrogen is going to continue to play an important role in the energy transition, both as a marine fuel and as a cargo, which is why it is critical to develop standards to support its safe bunkering." Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen adds, "The introduction of these guidelines and their submission to IMO are key steps in addressing the challenges around liquefied hydrogen bunkering."