Hefring Marine has adapted its Intelligent Marine Assistance System to tackle the safety risks of high-speed unmanned surface vessels. The technology offers real-time speed and risk management to help operators avoid accidents.
Unmanned surface vessels are moving from experimental projects to mainstream tools in commercial, environmental and defense sectors. Their growing use brings efficiency and cost advantages but also new safety challenges, especially during high-speed operations where remote control leaves little room for error.
Hefring Marine, an Icelandic technology company, has introduced an adaptation of its Intelligent Marine Assistance System (IMAS) for USVs to help address these risks. Originally developed to improve safety on fast crewed craft, IMAS now provides a digital safety layer for remote pilots who lack the physical awareness that comes with being on board.
High-speed USV operations present a series of problems. Operators must judge speed without the intuitive feedback of being at sea, process multiple streams of sensor data within seconds and interpret sea state conditions through cameras that may not tell the full story. The risks have become more apparent as incident rates rise. On June 23, 2025, a Navy-operated USV off California’s Ventura coast accelerated unexpectedly during a tow, flipping its support boat. Although no injuries were reported, the Navy paused exercises while investigating the cause.
Hefring Marine’s IMAS is designed to close that awareness gap. The system monitors vessel speed in real time against environmental conditions and provides dynamic recommendations to keep operations safe without compromising missions. It also performs continuous risk assessment, adjusting its guidance as weather and sea state evolve.
Beyond immediate operations, IMAS offers detailed logging of voyage data to support incident investigations and refine procedures. Hefring Marine sees the technology as a way to help operators both comply with future regulations and build public confidence in unmanned shipping.
The company is collaborating with partners including Marine AI and Seabot Maritime to shape training and standards for the next generation of USVs. Regulators worldwide are in the process of defining safety rules for unmanned vessels, and systems like IMAS are expected to play a central role in meeting those requirements.
By enhancing situational awareness through real-time data and adaptive guidance, Hefring Marine hopes IMAS will allow operators to capture the efficiency benefits of USVs while avoiding the hazards that come with high-speed, remote-controlled navigation.
