OceanAlpha has introduced its latest innovation in maritime autonomy at Ocean Business 2025 with the launch of the L42 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV).
Designed to meet the evolving demands of large-scale offshore surveys, the L42 emphasizes operational endurance, modular payload integration, and field-proven reliability.
At the core of the L42’s capabilities is a hybrid propulsion system enabling over 1,500 km of operational range, equivalent to 8 days of continuous mission endurance at 4 knots. This extended range significantly minimizes retrieval frequency, enabling persistent offshore missions without compromising data acquisition schedules. The vessel features four redundant electric motors for enhanced operational resilience, making it well-suited to both coastal and open-ocean deployments.
Built with flexibility in mind, the L42 accommodates a wide array of survey payloads including multibeam echosounders, towed side-scan sonars, magnetometers, sub-bottom profilers, and USBL systems. It is equipped with onboard payload lifters and a towing system, allowing operators to rapidly reconfigure the vessel for hydrographic mapping, subsea inspections, or environmental research missions, without the need for complex refits.
OceanAlpha unveiled the L42 during a dedicated launch event at Ocean Business. “The L42 reflects our user-driven design philosophy,” noted Pinestone Shi, General Manager of OceanAlpha. “By prioritizing field-proven reliability over unnecessary complexity, we aim to help survey teams reduce operational costs while maintaining data quality. The vessel’s balanced specifications make it suitable for multi-day offshore survey projects and environmental baseline studies requiring consistent data collection.“
Following successful third-party acceptance testing, the first production L42 unit is scheduled for delivery to a professional surveying firm in Africa in April 2025. As a regional leader in the adoption of uncrewed technologies, the client is expected to leverage the L42 for advanced offshore data acquisition, setting a precedent for efficient and scalable USV deployment.
With this partnership, OceanAlpha anticipates that the L42 will drive significant innovation and efficiency gains in the field, paving the way for enhanced safety, performance, and sustainability in maritime surveys and beyond.
