KEY TAKEAWAYS: Blue Water Autonomy Inc. unveiled its 190-foot Liberty Class autonomous vessel designed for long-duration U.S. Navy missions. Construction of the steel-hulled ship is underway at Conrad Shipyard with completion expected in 2026. The vessel is designed for missions including logi stics, sensor deployment and missile support, with over 10,000 nautical miles of range. The program targets serial production of 10–20 ships per year using a modified hull from Damen Shipyards Group to reduce development risk.   Blue Water Autonomy Inc. has unveiled progress of its first full-scale autonomous naval vessel design, a 190-foot ship called the Liberty Class that the Boston-based company says is being developed for rapid production and long-duration operations for the U.S. Navy. The company announced Feb. 11 that construction of the steel-hulled vessel began March 2026 at Conrad Shipyard in Morgan City, Louisiana, with the first ship expected to be completed for the Navy later in 2026. Construction is being handled by Conrad Shipyard, which operates five facilities in Louisiana and Texas and builds a range of commercial and government vessels. “Conrad has a long history of building complex vessels for both commercial and government customers,” said Cecil Hernandez, president and CEO of Conrad Shipyard. “We have the infrastructure, workforce, and production readiness to begin construction and support serial builds, helping translate advanced vessel designs into operational capacity.” The company said the Liberty Class name references the World War II-era Liberty ships, which were produced at scale to meet wartime demand. Blue Water Autonomy said it expects to move into serial production after the first vessel is delivered, targeting 10 to 20 ships annually. Blue Water Autonomy said the Liberty Class is designed to support missions including missile delivery, sensor deployment and logistics transport. The vessel features a payload capacity of more than 150 metric tons and an operational range of over 10,000 nautical miles, allowing for extended deployments without a crew. The ship’s design is based on Damen Shipyards Group’s Stan Patrol 6009 hull, incorporating an Axe Bow configuration intended to improve seakeeping in rough waters. Blue Water selected the proven hull to reduce development risk while focusing engineering efforts on autonomous systems and internal ship architecture. “The Liberty class reflects our focus on building autonomous ships that are designed from the start for long-duration operations and repeat production,” said Rylan Hamilton, CEO of Blue Water Autonomy. “By adapting a proven hull and re-engineering it for unmanned operations, we’re delivering a vessel that can operate for extended periods without crew while being produced at a pace the Navy urgently needs. This is a modern take on an old idea: building capable ships quickly and at scale.” The company said it redesigned the vessel’s internal systems, including propulsion, power and fault-management architecture, to enable automated operation with limited human intervention over months at sea. Damen Shipyards Group, which licensed the hull design through its Damen Technical Cooperation model, said the adaptation demonstrates the flexibility of its commercial vessel platform. “The Axe Bow hull was designed for demanding operational requirements, from speed and range to seakeeping,” said Mark Honders, Design and License Manager at Damen. “Seeing the Stan Patrol 6009 adapted for autonomous operation underscores the flexibility of the design and demonstrates how proven commercial designs can serve new and emerging maritime missions.” Blue Water Autonomy is funding the Liberty Class program privately, a model the company said reflects growing Pentagon interest in accelerating unmanned and commercially sourced defense capabilities. Founded in 2024, Blue Water Autonomy develops autonomous maritime systems integrating hardware, software and artificial intelligence for extended unmanned operations. Damen Shipyards Group operates more than 30 shipyards globally and provides vessel design and construction services. Conrad Shipyard specializes in steel marine vessel construction and repair for commercial and government clients. ...read more read less