Sofar Ocean extends Spotter Platform to deep water with new USV. * 15 April 2026 Spotter Scout, a rugged, solar-powered uncrewed surface vehicle. (Image credit: Sofar Ocean) Sofar Ocean, the leading ocean intelligence platform, has launched Spotter Scout, a rugged, solar-powered uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) that enables persistent ocean sensing in remote and deep-water locations. Remote ocean monitoring is typically expensive and complex. Traditional mooring systems are hard to deploy, maintain, and relocate, and often cost more than the sensors they support. This makes them difficult to justify for shorter-term deployments. Spotter Scout removes these constraints. The durable USV holds position in deep water, transits between locations on command, and can return home after six or more months unattended. While deployed, it collects the same surface and subsurface data trusted by thousands of Spotter Platform users worldwide and sends every observation to the Spotter Dashboard and API in real time. "Spotter Scout is an exciting step in the evolution of the Spotter Platform, while extending the same scalability philosophy," said Tim Janssen, Co-Founder and CEO of Sofar. "Effectively it delivers a Spotter with position control at your fingertips. This extends our ability to build networks that support new missions and water depths where mooring or drifting is not effective." Spotter Scout is engineered for long-term performance in the harshest ocean conditions. Its flooded hull has no sealed air volume to breach, keeping it operational in sea states 7 and 8. A keel-mounted 2kWh battery provides the ballast needed to self-right in extreme conditions and, paired with a 340w solar array, ensures continuous operation. Spotter Scout supports cellular, Iridium, and Starlink connectivity, enabling reliable communication from nearshore to the open ocean. If a project's needs change, an operator can reposition it with a simple browser-based command sent via desktop or mobile. Whereas most USVs are priced for single-asset deployments, Spotter Scout is priced for networks. An operator can manage dozens of units from a single Spotter Dashboard, shifting the question from, "Where should I place my one monitoring system?" to "How should I design a network to cover this entire area?" Spotter Scout was built by Online Oceans, a UK-based marine robotics company. "We're excited to be partnering with Sofar to combine our respective technologies into a powerful new ocean monitoring capability," said George Morton, Co-Founder & CEO of Online Oceans. "By integrating Sofar's proven sensing and data infrastructure with Online Oceans' long-endurance autonomous surface platform, Scout, we can enable persistent, scalable access to ocean data in places that have traditionally been difficult or expensive to reach. It's a great example of how complementary technologies can unlock new ways to observe and understand the ocean." Organizations interested in Spotter Scout are encouraged to submit an interest form or visit the Spotter Scout webpage.

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google NewsMaritime shipping is a key player in the global energy transition but has been slow to adapt. As pressure ramps up, carriers are prioritizing solutions that drive emissions reductions today while setting them up for future success.Taking Immediate Action to Reduce Maritime EmissionsThe shipping industry’s monumental impact on global emissions means the planet has much to gain through its efficiencies. The UN International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) 2023 GHG Strategy currently calls for a reduction in the carbon intensity of international shipping by at least 40% on average by 2030; however, in 2022, emissions from international shipping grew by 5%, returning to 2017-2018 levels.While adoption of longer-term decarbonization solutions like alternative fuels and propulsion is the end goal, the time pressure applied by the IMO’s targets combined with the ongoing climate crisis necessitates immediate action. Voyage optimization offers a powerful solution to improve efficiency, minimize fuel consumption, and reduce vessel emissions today.Captains and shoreside operators use voyage optimization platforms to access route and speed guidance and stay on the most efficient path to port. The best platforms pay for themselves in time and fuel savings — but not all solutions are created equal.Closing the Ocean Data Gap for Voyage OptimizationOne of the biggest barriers to effective voyage optimization is a lack of real-time ocean data