Aberdeen-headquartered subsea robotics firm HonuWorx has taken delivery of its first underwater vehicle as the company prepares to scale up operations.
HonuWorx acquired the VALOR remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from fellow Aberdeen firm Rovtech, which will form a key part of its Loggerhead deployment system.
Founded in 2020, HonuWorx secured a seven figure investment in September last year before launching a £30 million fundraising effort in October.
The price of the new ROV was not disclosed.
Alongside offshore oil and gas, HonuWorx is pitching its Loggerhead system at emerging sectors like floating offshore wind and carbon capture and storage (CCS).
© Supplied by catapult offshore reThe company plans to develop a fleet of Loggerhead submarines, aiming to capture a 20% share of an estimated $3.2 billion (£2.46bn) global market for subsea inspection.
HonuWorx said it aims to start construction on the first commercial Loggerhead pilot system in Aberdeen later this year before conducting a series of offshore tests in 2027.
VALOR ROV
The purchase of the VALOR ROV forms part of an innovation project alongside the Offshore Wind Growth Partnership (OWGP).
HonuWorx said the VALOR, manufactured in Barrow-in-Furness, is part of a new generation of compact underwater inspection vehicles which can equipped and deployed from its Loggerhead ‘mothership’.
The company also said its Loggerhead system has strong defence sector applications, with the technology chosen for NATO’s 2025 Defence Innovation Accelerator (DIANA) programme.
HonuWorx Loggerhead
HonuWorx chief executive Lee Wilson said the investment in the VALOR ROV represents “another significant milestone” for the company.
“At $3bn and growing, the global underwater inspection and intervention market requires cleaner, safer and more cost-efficient solutions that break away from established models,” Wilson said.
“Unfortunately we’re also in an era where that critical energy and telecommunications infrastructure must be increasingly safeguarded against external threats.”
