US trio to develop next-generation autonomous vessels

June 4, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

US marine technology developer Fleetzero has partnered with shipbuilder Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors and naval architecture and engineering firm Glosten to support the development and deployment of autonomous vessel solutions for commercial maritime, government and defense applications.

The collaboration will combine Fleetzero’s battery energy storage, propulsion and autonomy technologies with Thoma-Sea’s shipbuilding capabilities and Glosten’s vessel design and engineering expertise.

As part of the effort, the companies are developing an autonomous diesel-electric vessel intended for operations in contested environments, long-endurance missions and supply delivery tasks. According to the firms, the vessel features a low-profile design aimed at reducing radar detectability and supporting long-range operations.

The collaboration is intended to support US government priorities, the Department of War, MARAD, and Coast Guard, which are related to modular and open-system vessel architectures. The platform is being developed for a range of applications, including autonomous and remotely operated cargo transport, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions, patrol operations and contested logistics.

The companies also see potential applications in electrified harbor craft, tugboats and coastal vessels. They added that the platform is designed to improve operator safety and support compliance with domestic-content requirements, including the Jones Act and Buy American provisions.

“Moving cargo through contested waters is more imperative today than ever before. Fleetzero is building and demonstrating that capability today,” said Steven Henderson, CEO of Fleetzero.

“By partnering with Thoma-Sea and Glosten, we are pairing our Leviathan Energy Storage Systems and Fleetzero’s autonomy stack with two of the most capable shipbuilding and design organizations in the country. This is how we can deliver MOSA-compliant, autonomous vessels at scale.”

“Bringing autonomy and electrification together at the vessel-design level is where this collaboration creates real value,” said Morgan Fanberg, CEO of Glosten.

“Working with Fleetzero and Thoma-Sea, we are designing vessels that are autonomy-native from the keel up, not retrofitted as an afterthought. The design is both functional and low-signature, built for decades of deliveries in the years ahead.”

“Our yards have been building ships for American operators for decades,” said Walter Thomassie, Managing Director of Thoma-Sea.

“Partnering with Fleetzero and Glosten allows us to deliver the next generation of autonomous vessels with stealth capabilities ready for the missions our customers face today.”

Thoma-Sea was selected by the US Navy’s Naval Sea Systems Command to design and build the NOAA Oceanographer-class research vessels under a $178 million contract, and has delivered navy-administered Foreign Military Sales vessels for allied customers.