Netherlands tests 3D-printed uncrewed surface vessel

January 28, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

The SeaRush project has taken a major step toward scalable production of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), following successful on-water tests of a 3D-printed prototype conducted by Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN).

In December 2025, MARIN conducted the first on-water trials of a SeaRush uncrewed surface vessel prototype in the Rijnhaven in Wageningen. Within just five months, the project progressed from an initial concept to a floating test platform designed to support the development, validation, and operational testing of uncrewed maritime systems.

SeaRush is an innovative defense program developed in cooperation with the innovation center MIND and embedded within the broader Dutch military-maritime ecosystem.

The experimental USV was developed through close cooperation across the production chain. IMPACD Boats, based in Woudsend, translated the initial design into a 3D-printable hull concept and prepared the production process together with CEAD. The hull itself was printed in less than one week at the Dutch Boat Factory in Delft. Final outfitting and system integration were completed in Woudsend, resulting in a fully operational test vessel.

Propulsion is provided by a Honda outboard engine, integrated with a control interface supplied by Italian manufacturer UltraFlex. This configuration allows the engine to be operated remotely, supporting uncrewed operations and external control concepts.

The project aims to accelerate the design, deployment, and iterative improvement of USVs, while simultaneously building an ecosystem capable of producing affordable platforms at scale. MARIN’s role focuses on supporting the Royal Netherlands Navy as it evolves toward operational concepts that combine crewed and uncrewed vessels.

A key element of the SeaRush approach is the use of existing Dutch production infrastructure combined with flexible material and component choices.

Advanced manufacturing methods, including large-scale 3D printing, enable rapid prototyping and short production cycles. This approach strengthens the innovation capacity of the Dutch Ministry of Defense and its industrial partners, particularly in a security environment characterized by increasing geopolitical tensions, according to MARIN.

The growing relevance of uncrewed maritime systems is driven by several factors. International conflicts are intensifying, the economic and strategic importance of the North Sea continues to increase, and the Royal Netherlands Navy faces long-term personnel constraints.

As a result, the navy is developing new operational concepts in which USVs perform tasks alongside crewed units, requiring effective and scalable cooperation between the two.

Within the KNOWONE research program, MARIN is addressing one of the key challenges of uncrewed operations: the integrated control of multiple systems, ranging from small to large USVs. Software applications developed under KNOWONE enable uncrewed vessels to operate in coordinated formations with crewed ships.

Over the past year, these concepts have been assessed with defense personnel using MARIN’s Dolphin simulation environment.

The next phase involves transferring the validated software directly from simulation to experimental platforms at sea. To support this transition, MARIN is working with EagleScience to develop a software architecture that simplifies the integration of onboard hardware and software systems.

The SeaRush and KNOWONE projects are set to converge during the Maritime Uncrewed Sea Trials (MUST) 2026 exercise in June.

During the event, MARIN will demonstrate cooperative uncrewed concepts at sea using multiple experimental USVs derived from the SeaRush platform, marking an important milestone in the Netherlands’ efforts to operationalize uncrewed maritime capabilities.