Kongsberg Maritime delivers two more USVs to Reach Subsea. The offshore specialist also has exclusive options for further newbuildings.
The offshore company Reach Subsea is expanding its remote fleet: following an earlier collaboration, Kongsberg Maritime is supplying two additional remote-controlled vessels (USV, Unmanned Surface Vessel). Both vessels will be based on Kongsberg’s UT5208 design. These are specially designed vessels for remotely operated and autonomous offshore operations with a length of 24 meters.
This agreement follows the “Reach Remote 1” and “Reach Remote 2”, which were also designed and delivered by Kongsberg. The first vessel has recently completed a series of fully remote controlled offshore operations off the coast of Norway. “Reach Remote 1” was awarded the “Ship of the Year 2024” award at the SMM in Hamburg as an innovative model.
Once again, Kongsberg will deliver the newbuildings to Reach Subsea as part of a complete shipbuilding contract. According to the Norwegian company, it has awarded the construction of the USVs to a shipyard that will take care of the design, supply chain management, system integration, commissioning and final delivery. “This new way of working is particularly suitable for projects with fleet potential and offers greater efficiency, quality assurance and a faster time to market,” said Kongsberg.
“This order reflects the industry’s growing confidence in remote and autonomous technologies,” said Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, President of Kongsberg Maritime. “The success of ‘Reach Remote 1’ has proven that remotely operated operations are not only viable, but transformative. With the delivery of these vessels, we are ensuring the seamless integration of our advanced systems and a streamlined path to deployment. The Reach Remote concept is not only a technological achievement, but offers a glimpse into the future of offshore operations.”
Ronny Pål Kvalsvik, VP Sales Ship Design at Kongsberg Maritime, added: “We are proud to continue our collaboration with Reach Subsea – a regular customer for ship design and a leader in maritime innovation. Their pioneering work with USVs, such as the Reach Remote platform, is exemplary for the future of sustainable and remote offshore operations. (…) This project is part of a broader industry shift towards smarter, greener and more autonomous maritime operations. The Reach Remote fleet demonstrates how Norwegian innovation is transforming offshore services, reducing environmental impact while improving operational capability.”
Both companies also plan to work together in the long term. Reach has several exclusive options for additional vessels to be built under the Reach Remote program.
“Ready to meet global demand”
“The Reach Remote program is a cornerstone of our strategy to redefine subsea operations,” says Reach CEO Jostein Alendal. “By combining our subsea expertise with the naval capabilities of Kongsberg Maritime and Massterly, we are delivering practical solutions that are safer, smarter and more sustainable. With the delivery of Vessels 3 and 4 now confirmed, we are entering the scaling phase – ready to meet global demand and shape the future of remote subsea services.”
Kongsberg Maritime’s scope of supply includes various integrated systems and technologies. These include advanced automation and navigation systems, attitude detection, maneuvering and thruster control solutions, low-voltage switchgear, energy storage modules and equipment for ROV and hydrographic operations. Also included in the agreement are ship design and engineering, project management and telecommunication systems, including ship-to-shore connectivity.
Massterly, a joint venture between Kongsberg Maritime and Wilhelmsen, will manage remote navigation and vessel operations from Remote Vessel Operations Centers. Reach Subsea will carry out the underwater missions, including remote control of the ROVs and data acquisition and processing. These operations are supported by a remote architecture developed by Reach Subsea in close collaboration with customers, which integrates marine robotic technologies to enable safe and efficient underwater services from land-based control centers.
