BMT and AEUK test autonomous maritime system

UK maritime firms BMT and ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK (AEUK) have completed a joint testing programme designed to assess how an uncrewed vessel navigates in line with international maritime regulations.

The collaboration focused on evaluating AEUK’s ARCIMS navigation system using BMT’s Synthetic Environment Assurance Service (SEAS), a simulation platform designed to replicate complex maritime scenarios and assess how autonomous vessels perform under pressure.

The aim: to test whether the system could make safe, lawful decisions in dynamic environments without live trials at sea.

According to BMT, the synthetic testing helped determine whether ARCIMS complies with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea (COLREGs), a major hurdle in certifying any autonomous system for naval or commercial deployment.

“BMT’s partnership with ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK underscores the importance of simulation-based assurance in developing safe, reliable autonomous systems,” said Will Alexander, BMT’s Campaign Lead for Maritime Autonomous Systems. “Trustworthy AI must be embedded into the foundation of autonomous systems… ensuring systems are not only compliant but also capable of making informed, seamanlike decisions.”

ARCIMS (Autonomous Remote-Controlled Integrated Mine countermeasure System) is AEUK’s flagship platform for modular autonomous operations, particularly in mine warfare. The software underpinning its autonomous navigation was tested against a range of ‘edge case’ scenarios—hypothetical situations that challenge AI to make legally and operationally sound decisions.

Ian Renton, AEUK’s Principal Software Engineer, said the synthetic environment offered valuable feedback that will help refine future iterations of ARCIMS algorithms. “It was said several times that our vessel was making safe decisions and, in some cases, clever solutions, while maintaining COLREGs compliance and safe standoff from other vessels.”

The exercise was also overseen by the Ministry of Defence’s Naval Authority and Technology Group (NATG), which is helping establish regulatory standards for uncrewed systems. NATG’s Stephen Perry noted that the testing provided an independent, third-party assessment based on a pre-approved syllabus of scenarios, helping define safe operating envelopes for the platform.

“MASS SEAS is one of the tools enabling the UK MOD to establish one of the world’s first frameworks for the certification of marine autonomy,” Perry said.

BMT’s SEAS platform was developed in part to reduce the cost and risk of live testing by offering repeatable and stress-tested conditions for evaluating uncrewed systems. The firm plays an active role in UK regulatory development, with involvement in groups such as the Society of Maritime Industries Autonomy Council.