OceanAlpha’s L25 unmanned surface vehicle (USV) completed its first Malaysian public demonstration at Port Klang, traveling 33 kilometers offshore to show advanced autonomous survey operations.
The L25 USV had many successes throughout the event. Its innovative perception systems allowed autonomous navigation around moored vessels within the congested waters, whilst simultaneously adjusting course to keep safe distances from high-speed marine traffic.
The vessel validated reliable Over-the-Horizon (OTH) capability vital for large-scale or remote survey areas, traveling 33 kilometers offshore while sustaining continuous, stable satellite communications and payload data transmission.
This achievement directly addressed current critical constraints for offshore marine surveys, namely crew dependence and costly support vessels required for operations beyond line-of-sight (LOS) control range.
The integrated automated towfish system also exemplified strong deployment and retrieval of side-scan sonar equipment, removing traditional manual winching requirements and reducing operational risks.
The L25’s ability to transmit multibeam, side-scan, and sub-bottom profiler data for immediate quality control and mission adjustments from shore, was highlighted. This capability itself greatly reduces decision-making timelines for survey operations.
Pinestone Shi, General Manager of OceanAlpha stated, “Following the successful demonstration of our L25 in Dubai this May, we are pleased to bring another L25 USV to Southeast Asia and validate how OceanAlpha’s autonomous solutions address critical survey pain points.
“Looking ahead, we will continue to promote our unmanned surface vessel products and comprehensive solutions worldwide, empowering the marine survey industry to achieve safer, more efficient, and cost-effective operations.”
This late June event, attended by over 60 maritime industry leaders, was made possible through the collaboration with key industry partners.
The Malaysian Maritime Department facilitated operational approvals and Tara Advisory co-hosted the event, leveraging its autonomous systems expertise to secure practical validation of the L25’s capabilities.
Technical partners, such as TA Geosolutions, Hidrokinetik Technologies, and Clockwise Subsea (NOR Offshore Rental) contributed specialized equipment and regional operational expertise.
The L25 USV platform is now operational in Southeast Asia and the Middle East and OceanAlpha are continuing to collaborate with regional partners to progress autonomous marine survey solutions.
