Design Images of World’s First Long-Range Autonomous Research Vessel Released

Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML) has released a video featuring a computer-generated imagery (CGI) impression of the world’s first long-range autonomous research vessel, Oceanus.

The 24-meter vessel, designed by MSubs, will be fully-uncrewed, self-righting and capable of carrying an array of monitoring sensors to collect data for research into areas such as climate change, biodiversity, fisheries and biogeochemistry.  

The vessel will be able to reach remote areas of the ocean that are difficult or impossible to sample through traditional research vessels, whether due to remote locations or due to extreme weather conditions.  

PML Chief Executive Professor Icarus Allen said: “A statistic I find quite shocking is that, to date, humans have explored less than 5% of the world’s oceans. And yet, the ocean does so much for us. It’s absorbed at least 25% of carbon emissions that we have emitted. It also absorbs over 90% of the excess heat resulting from greenhouse gases... and, most importantly we humans, get between 50% and 80% of the oxygen we breathe from the ocean.  

“It is vital now, more than ever, to improve our understanding of the ocean and the changes taking place within it - the ocean is facing huge challenges and it’s vital we have as much evidence as possible to support decisions on how to protect and manage it sustainably.”