Maritime autonomy specialist ZeroUSV welcomed senior defence leaders to its Plymouth base, as a a major £50 million investment in the region’s defence sector was unveiled, to showcase its OCEANUS class and take part in roundtable discussions on how Plymouth can continue its path to becoming not just a National centre for marine autonomy but a  global leader and centre of excellence of maritime autonomy.

Minister for Defence Procurement Lord Coaker, alongside Luke Pollard MP and Fred Thomas MP, visited ZeroUSV’s facilities at Turnchapel Wharf on Wednesday (8 April), where they were given a tour of the company’s facilities including the Oceanus12 USV.

During the visit, ZeroUSV were able to show first hand how the highly successful OCEANUS12 class has been able to provide the benchmarkfor the spiral development of the new OCEANUS17 (17m vessel) currently under construction and due for launch later this summer.

The visit coincided with the announcement of the government’s £50 million Defence Growth Deal (DGD) for Plymouth and the South West – a significant boost aimed at accelerating defence innovation, supporting high-growth businesses, and strengthening the UK’s maritime capabilities.

It also provided an opportunity to highlight ZeroUSV’s role within the National Centre for Maritime Autonomy (NCMA) ecosystem, alongside discussions around the company’s pace of development, scalability, and future growth.

Following the visit, ZeroUSV joined industry leaders and local stakeholders in a roundtable discussion focused on how Plymouth can capitalise on the investment and cement its position as a global hub for maritime autonomy.

Matthew Ratsey, Managing Director of ZeroUSV, said: “The UK has a real opportunity to lead the world in maritime autonomy, and Plymouth is at the heart of that. It was a privilege to welcome Lord Coaker, Luke Pollard and Fred Thomas to our base and demonstrate how quickly sovereign, operational capability can with the right support be delivered from the UK.

“The £50 million Defence Growth Deal is a strong vote of confidence in the region. It creates real momentum for innovation, investment and collaboration across Team Plymouth, and we’re excited to play our part in that journey.”

The Defence Growth Deal is expected to unlock new opportunities for companies developing advanced technologies, including uncrewed and autonomous systems, while supporting job creation and skills development across the South West.

With its strong naval heritage and growing innovation ecosystem, Plymouth is increasingly seen as a focal point for the future of maritime defence – with companies like ZeroUSV helping to drive that momentum.