Autonomy is key to secure our critical national infrastructure, says leading uk marine tech firm
Autonomy must be at the heart of our reaction to growing threats to the UK’s subsea critical national infrastructure, the founder of a leading UK marine tech firm has said.
Matthew Ratsey, founder and managing director of Zero USV, a subsidiary of MSubs that specialises in Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs) and artificial intelligence, has highlighted the urgent need for advanced maritime solutions to protect vital assets such as undersea cables and offshore installations. He points out that as adversaries become more adept at exploiting weaknesses in existing systems, embracing cutting-edge technology is now more critical than ever.
“We’re dealing with a rapidly evolving threat landscape, in which adversaries are using advanced technologies to target national (and international) subsea infrastructure and to test subsea resilience. From undersea cables and pipelines to offshore platforms, the range of vulnerabilities is expanding rapidly. However, the British maritime community has always shown remarkable innovation and resilience in the face of change, and this adaptability will be crucial in countering these increasingly brazen attempts to test our defences.
“To ensure we remain firmly on the front foot against these threats, we need to embrace the latest leading-edge technologies, not least autonomy and AI which are force multipliers when resources are already desperately stretched. By harnessing real-world expertise from maritime operators and pairing it with cutting-edge innovations – particularly autonomous vessels and marine intelligence – we can anticipate, detect, and deter hostile activities. Working closely with government, the maritime sector can help shape robust, future-proof defence strategies that don’t leave us constantly reacting to new tactics.
“This means developing policies that encourage much more collaboration, ensuring the industry has access to advanced technology and training, and maintaining regular dialogue between all stakeholders. By building on this shared commitment, we can keep our seas safe and protect the infrastructure that underpins our economy and national wellbeing.”
Zero USV is a subsidiary of MSubs Ltd and sister company to Marine AI, which specialises in the design, manufacture, and charter of unmanned vessels for civil, commercial and military markets and led the Mayflower Autonomous Ship Programme. Marine AI creates artificial intelligence to super-optimise maritime capabilities by drawing on decades of experience in manned and unmanned marine vehicle design, manufacture and operations, coupled with vast experience in automation and autonomous systems software architecture, and computer vision expertise.