A UAE-based maritime company, Al Marakeb, hosted a live demonstration of its 13m armed unmanned surface vessel (USV) at the Naval Defence and Maritime Security Exhibition (Navdex) on Monday.

The shipping container on display at Al Marakeb’s stand at Navdex – which runs with the International Defence Exhibition till February 21 – hosted a command-and-control station that operated the vessel situated in Ghantoot, 70km away from the event site.

The vessel, called AHM13USV, is a product of Al Marakeb’s recent collaboration with long-standing Emirati boat-builder Al Hareb Marine.

Treating visitors to a first-hand experience of maritime technology, the team at the Navdex station remotely controlled the vessel using the MAP-Pro Autonomous Technology.

The MAP-Pro system runs engine diagnostics, route management, a live camera feed, radar screens and an obstacle warning alarm in real time. Notably, it showcases a live operation of the STAMP gun mounted on the vessel and provided through Al Marakeb’s alliance with IGG ASELSAN.

The latest USV technologies on show at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre all support Abu Dhabi Vision 2030, which, in part, aims to bolster the economy and the defence sector.

“Al Marakeb’s participation in this year’s Navdex serves to demonstrate the true power of working together with leading forces to combine technologies that ultimately place the UAE in the global arena of unmanned technologies,” said Nour Al Sayyed, chief operating officer, Al Marakeb.

“Our display at Navdex is a prime example of our company’s innovative culture, which thrives on excellence and diversity.”

The company also presented the AHM11USV, a new 11m addition to its fleet, making a debut at Navdex.