On Friday, August 15, Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen visited Tuco Group in Faaborg. The visit centered on the company’s ProZero series of high-speed boats for professional users, with a particular focus on Tuco Group’s extensive experience in developing and operating unmanned surface vessels (USVs).
For the past eight years, Tuco Group has developed and produced USVs at its Faaborg shipyard. The company’s involvement in unmanned technology began through international research and development projects. Notably, Tuco participated in a major international R&D project The ENDURUNS project, in collaboration with the University of Birmingham and 16 other global consortium partners. In this project, Tuco was fully responsible for the design, construction, and building of an 8-meter USV, developed for long-duration operations and integrated with underwater drones for seabed mapping.
Since those initial projects, Tuco has commercialized the ProZero USV concept and is now the only Danish manufacturer of unmanned surface vessels, offering market-ready, thoroughly tested solutions with proven performance under demanding offshore conditions.
Recent geopolitical tensions and threats to underwater infrastructure have heightened interest in unmanned technologies that can enhance maritime situational awareness, both above and below the sea surface. USVs also serve as an effective tool for monitoring so-called “shadow fleet ships” passing through Danish waters.
“We are delighted that the Defense Minister took the time from a busy schedule to visit us,” said CEO Jonas Pedersen. “We are confident that we can offer solutions that are both ready for procurement and well-tested, enabling rapid construction and deployment to strengthen Danish security. In this way, we aim to contribute to enhancing Denmark’s defense capabilities, maintaining national production, and creating local jobs.”
The visit concluded with a tour of the shipyard, where the Defense Minister was shown the production of vessels for the Kenya Navy, featuring the unique “Swamp Shark Drives” propulsion system, which enables navigation in challenging environments. The minister also gained insight into the shipyard’s broader production of high-speed workboats.
