With the 24-metre (78.7 feet) long Reach Remote 1 and 2, Norway is leading the market for unmanned, remotely controlled vessels for the offshore industry. In other words: in maritime drones for peaceful purposes. The Reach-vessels are reportedly the biggest in its kind, and are a co-production of Reach Subsea and famous Norwegian ship and defence company Kongsberg Group.
Officially, these two maritime drones are called Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs), clearly marking the civilian purpose of them. With a maximum speed of 11 knots and a weight of 230 tons, the vessels are robustly built to withstand the sometimes rough conditions off the coast of Norway.
Offshore rigs and facilities
The Reach vessels are designed to supply the offshore rigs and facilities with necessary equipment, or support other sea-based operations. When the ship is on its way and cuts through the waves of the Norwegian Sea, the captain/steer man of the ship is controlling it safely from an office on shore as far as 500 kilometres (311 miles) away. After the launch of Reach Remote 1 and 2, Kongsberg Maritime has place an order for two additional Reach unmanned vessels, to be delivered in 2027.
See the ship in action at the 1st of December publication by Norwegian national broadcasting company NRK. | © 2025 Marcel Burger, nordicreporter.com. Press photo of the Reach Remote 1 by Reach Subsea.