Eureka Naval Craft, ABS and Aircat join hands on USVs/ASVs

September 22, 2025, by Fatima Bahtić

Eureka Naval Craft, Aircat Vessels, and classification society American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) have signed an agreement to accelerate safe development of high-speed unmanned and autonomous surface vessels (USVs/ASVs) for both naval defense and offshore energy operations.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed by the parties, will use Eureka’s advanced naval vessel innovation, Aircat’s commercial offshore knowledge, and ABS’ classification expertise to bridge defense and energy industry needs.

The collaboration is designed to set new international standards, which will support safety, reliability, and operational excellence for high-speed autonomous vessels deployed in high-risk civilian and military environments.

The teaming agreement will focus on initiatives designed to deliver measurable, cross-sector impact. One priority is modular payload integration, where the partners will develop and validate adaptable systems such as intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) masts, mission modules, and spill response units. These payloads will be designed for quick, secure installation or swapping while ensuring that essential ship functions—including propulsion, communications, and navigation—remain protected.

Another area of emphasis is the creation of unified safety frameworks. By combining the offshore energy sector’s rigorous operational standards with defense-grade redundancy, the agreement seeks to ensure that autonomous systems can reliably operate in harsh sea states, contested environments, and mission-critical scenarios.

The partners will also conduct trials and demonstrations across both defense and offshore domains. These will include high-speed sea trials and failure testing to validate safety cases. Potential use cases extend to naval patrol and interdiction, offshore resupply and surveillance, and emergency logistics operations.

To support global adoption, the effort will drive international standards alignment by adhering to recognized benchmarks, including the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) Rules and Guides, the International Maritime Organization’s guidance for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships, the International Electrotechnical Commission’s functional safety standards, and the Oil Companies International Marine Forum’s vessel assurance practices.

Finally, the agreement will prioritize safety and cyber assurance. This will involve building strict interlocks, redundancy measures, fail-safe protocols, and robust cyber protections to guarantee the security and resilience of autonomous operations.

“Whether serving a naval mission or supporting offshore energy, high-speed unmanned craft face the same unforgiving risks. By combining our strengths under ABS’s safety leadership, we are building platforms that can be trusted across both worlds,” said Bo Jardine, CEO of Eureka Boats.

“ABS is excited to work with Eureka and AIRCAT, leveraging our expertise with the world’s most advanced autonomous and remote-control technology to drive innovation while maintaining an unwavering commitment to safety,” stated Miguel Hernandez, Senior Vice President, Global Offshore of ABS.

Jerome Arnold, Managing Director of AIRCAT Vessels, concluded: “This is more than technology development – it’s about harmonizing expectations across industries. Offshore energy demands the same level of resilience as the defense community, and, together, we are ensuring both can benefit from innovations in safety and autonomy.”