Jan De Nul, Maritime Robotics launch USV Vaquita 04 in Dubai

Jan De Nul and Maritime Robotics have launched an advanced Otter Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) Vaquita 04 in Dubai. 

The companies said that the USV is now in Jebel Ali, conducting hydrographic surveys for dredging and coastal development projects.

“Dubai is renowned for its ambitious infrastructure projects, including the Palm Jebel Ali, a massive artificial archipelago originally initiated in 2002 and relaunched in 2024. This development requires precise surveying to overcome construction challenges, particularly in shallow waters between the ‘palm leaves’, where traditional methods are less effective,” said Maritime Robotics.

“Vaquita 04, a customized Otter USV, is specifically designed to meet these demands.”

Equipped with a multibeam echosounder and a winch SVP (Sound Velocity Profiler), the Vaquita 04 collects crucial bathymetric data for various applications, including:

• dredging,

• land reclamation,

• beach profiling,

• sand placement.

According to Maritime Robotics, this data is used for analyzing the bathymetric situation before, during and after the works, enabling more accurate planning and execution while minimizing environmental impact.