Henriksen’s New SOLUS USV Lars Chosen for the Argeo Argus USV

26 June 2025

Argeo Argus with SOLUS mast extended to show orange capture lines. (Image credit: Henriksen)

Argeo of Norway has become the first commercial customer for the new Henriksen SOLUS launch and recovery system for unmanned surface vehicles (USV). Argeo employs a range of unmanned and autonomous vehicles to provide its advanced offshore survey and inspection services. The new SOLUS system now makes it possible for an uncrewed USV to be recovered by the mother ship even in unfavorable sea conditions.

The Henriksen SOLUS system achieves this by enabling the 9-meter Argeo Argus USV to be brought alongside and reconnected to the mother ship’s lifting wire by means of its telescopic mast. During launching and remotely controlled work operations, the USV’s mast is kept retracted within its structure. At the end of its mission, it is brought alongside the mother ship, and its mast is raised remotely by the USV’s controller so that it reveals its lifting and painter lines. Even if the USV is pitching and rolling, the mast is able to present the boat’s recovery lines to the mothership’s crew. The personnel can then secure either of the lines with a threading boat hook. Once the connection has been made between the USVs and the mothership’s painter line, it becomes possible to quickly connect the crane’s fall wire to the lifting point on the USV and lift it on board the mothership. In this case, the Argeo Argus has been fitted with the SOLUS system as an important step in enhancing the company’s ability to use unmanned and autonomous craft worldwide.

SOLUS enables the conventional launching of Argeo Argus by crane. (Image credit: Henriksen)

“We want to transform ocean surveying and inspection by utilizing our autonomous surface and underwater robotics solution,” said Thorbjørn Rekdal, Chief Technology Officer at Argeo. “The Argus USV is a multi-purpose uncrewed vehicle for offshore and coastal applications, offering a stable, low-emission hybrid platform equipped with state-of-the-art navigation, supervision, and hydrographic/geophysical technology. The ability to create a wider weather window for its operation is therefore seen as an important boost towards achieving that aim with enhanced productivity,” he said.

The SOLUS system was developed by Henriksen AS at its factory on the Oslo fjord, Norway. The company is a well-respected manufacturer of advanced lifting hooks for marine applications, boasting a 100% safety record. It was, therefore, a natural development of its expertise to create its Launch and Recovery division. SOLUS is the latest addition to its product range, which includes launch and recovery systems for AUVs and advanced mine sweeping systems.

For more information, visit: www.hhenriksen.com