Page 12: of Marine Technology Magazine (May/Jun 2026)

UNCREWED VESSELS

SCALING THE SCALING THE

Photos © Fugro

UNCREWED FLEET: UNCREWED FLEET:

From Single Vessels to System-Level Operations From Single Vessels to System-Level Operations

By Marco Gilissen, Global Director Marine Geophysics, Fugro ceanology International has long been a showcase embraced for some time, missions are often dealing with extreme for emerging marine technologies, but in recent years distances, but typically operate in relatively stable environments. it has also become a marker of something more funda- The marine environment, by contrast, is highly dynamic.

Omental: how quickly those technologies are maturing. Weather, traf? c, subsea conditions, and operational variables

This year, one trend stood out. The conversation is no longer all combine to create a constantly changing picture. Managing centered on whether uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) can de- multiple uncrewed assets within this environment requires not monstrably work, but rather how they can be scaled effectively. only robust technology, but also well-designed, rigorous and

From small pilot platforms to larger, more capable vessels, the veri? able operational frameworks.

industry is entering a phase where the technology is proven. Situational awareness becomes even more critical at this lev-

Now, it is all about the integration, coordination, and operation- el. Operators must be able to understand what multiple vessels al models, from individual capability to system-level thinking. are doing, how they are interacting with their surroundings, as well as having the means to take over control at any one time.

From standalone vessels to connected operations At the same time, there is a clear need to avoid cognitive

In the early stages of adoption, USVs were often deployed overload. Providing more data is not always the answer; pro- as standalone assets, proving their ability to collect data safely viding the right data, in the right way, is what enables effective and ef? ciently. That phase has largely been successful. decision-making.

Today, as attention turns to a wider set of use cases, the fo- cus is moving towards how these vessels operate as part of a Rethinking the role of the operator broader ecosystem. This includes integration with remotely As operations scale, the role of engineers in the loop is fun- operated vehicles (ROVs), offshore infrastructure, and, in- damentally changing.

creasingly, other USVs operating in parallel. Remote operations centers (ROCs) are becoming the central

As this evolution continues, we are beginning to see a transi- hub of offshore activity, where data is gathered, monitored, tion from one operator controlling one vessel, to a model where interpreted, and acted upon across multiple assets. Here, con- operators oversee multiple assets simultaneously. Over time, this sistency is essential. Clients and stakeholders expect ROCs to will naturally shift further toward supervisory roles, where hu- replicate the clarity and transparency provided by a traditional man input is focused on intervention rather than direct control. vessel bridge, regardless of how many assets are being man- aged. Information must be presented clearly, consistently, and

Managing complexity at sea in a way that supports con? dent decision-making.

Scaling operations introduces a new kind of complexity, some- This shift to remote operations also places greater emphasis thing that other industries have already faced up to. Within space on new skillsets. While maritime experience remains essen- technology, for example, where remote operations have been tial, today’s operations are equally shaped by strong capabili- 12 May/June2026

MTR #4 (1-17).indd 12 MTR #4 (1-17).indd 12 5/28/2026 12:57:30 PM5/28/2026 12:57:30 PM