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HonuWorx, A Scottish company, is set to revolutionize the subsea services market with plans to deploy a fleet of 50 electric-powered uncrewed submarines. These innovative vessels aim to enhance maintenance and inspection capabilities for energy assets.
In September, HonuWorx achieved a significant milestone in underwater robotics, unveiling its first system, Loggerhead. This uncrewed, all-electric device significantly reduces reliance on fossil-fueled surface vessels for remotely operated vehicle (ROV) launches, thereby minimizing the carbon footprint associated with these kinds of operations.
Founded in 2020, HonuWorx’s mission is to advance subsea operations by lowering costs, risks, and environmental impacts. The Loggerhead system, named after the Loggerhead sea turtle, is designed to mimic the turtle’s extensive migrations, enabling it to travel significant distances to reach maintenance sites. Acting as a robotic mothership, Loggerhead autonomously deploys worker robots for tasks such as inspection, maintenance, and data collection in far-off locations, according to Interesting Engineering.
One of the standout features of Loggerhead is its ability to operate independently, providing its services all throughout the year, without being hindered by challenging sea conditions. This capability allows for continuous data collection and maintenance, enhancing decision-making processes. The system’s distributed communication and control technology also enables operators to remotely manage and monitor operations from anywhere in the world.
Lee Wilson, CEO of HonuWorx, explained that the company aims to improve sustainability, safety, and efficiency across various sectors, including oil and gas, and defense. “We are going to change the way the world works underwater, accelerating the energy transition and enabling the safe and sustainable scaling of subsea robotics for a growing blue economy,” he stated
The company has conducted successful proof-of-concept demonstrations, including tests off Vancouver’s coast in December 2023 and communication system evaluations in Fort William in July 2024. Supported by energy giants TotalEnergies and Shell, along with the Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC), these tests validated Loggerhead’s operational capabilities.
HonuWorx envisions capturing a 20% market share in the $3.2 billion global subsea inspection, repair, and maintenance market within the next decade. The electric submarines boast ultra-long endurance and can be remotely controlled, allowing seamless travel from ports to work sites.
With ambitions to have ten Loggerhead systems operational by 2030 and expand to fifty, HonuWorx is poised to redefine subsea operations, driving decarbonization and enhancing safety and efficiency in this critical sector.
