Support for ACUA’s Pioneer USV
The Challenge
ACUA required secure, dependable towage and ongoing support for PIONEER, its hydrogen-powered unmanned surface vessel (USV), ahead of a series of high-profile defence and maritime showcases. The vessel needed to travel from Plymouth to London for Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI), continue on to Southampton and complete a month-long programme of demonstrations across UK ports during September.
With PIONEER attracting significant government and international attention - following its world-first 24-hour zero-emission trial - the movements had to be executed with total reliability. ACUA needed a marine partner capable of managing complex berth-to-berth transits, working safely around port restrictions and providing responsive, on-call support throughout the national tour.
The Approach
MPH mobilised a combination of workboat hire, towage support and jack-up resources to move PIONEER between ports and maintain operational readiness throughout the programme.
Our team planned each transit around tidal windows, berth availability and port authority requirements, ensuring safe and compliant movement through busy waterways - from Plymouth’s naval environment to central London’s constrained river approaches.
Once the vessel arrived at DSEI, MPH provided continuous on-call operational support including positioning, tow-assistance and shoreside handling as PIONEER completed demonstrations for defence, government and industry audiences. Our crews remained embedded for the duration, ensuring the USV could be presented safely, consistently and without disruption.
The Outcome
PIONEER completed its full national showcase schedule safely and on time, supporting ACUA’s high-visibility presence at DSEI and London International Shipping Week. MPH’s ability to coordinate multi-port transits, deploy specialist marine plant rapidly and provide sustained operator support reinforced our reputation as a trusted partner for critical maritime logistics. The operation demonstrated how specialist crews, reliable workboats and flexible mobilisation can keep high-profile government and defence-facing assets moving with confidence.