Strengthening national resilience

through marine autonomy

Welcome to Plymouth

Aerial view of Plymouth with buildings, roads, and green parks, overlooking the ocean with a clear blue sky.

Plymouth - Britain’s Ocean City - is known the world over for its maritime heritage. Its designation as the National Centre for Marine Autonomy (NCMA), announced by the UK Government in June 2025, is a firm vote of confidence that charts an ambitious new course for the city’s future.

The NCMA is an all-encompassing ecosystem of marine autonomy excellence, comprising the largest naval base in Western Europe, large and small industries, cutting-edge science and development, world-leading facilities, and a widely held commitment to fostering better skills, education and opportunities. It also embraces unique coastal geography which is home to the UK’s first National Marine Park and Smart Sound Plymouth - the UK's premier marine autonomy testbed, with a mission to accelerate marine technology from concept to market-ready solutions.

The NCMA provides a flexible, future-focused environment where collaborations deliver fast-paced, high-impact R&D through access to real-world test ranges, shared facilities and strong co-creation. In doing so, it will drive economic prosperity, skills development and long-term innovation, at the same time delivering regional and national transformation across sectors including defence, net zero, cyber security and environmental monitoring.

Britain’s Ocean City

  • Testing facilities

    A state-of-the-art testbed, combining advanced onshore labs with extensive offshore ranges to validate and demonstrate next-generation marine autonomous systems

  • Research capabilities

    A world-class research community driving breakthroughs in ocean technology, maritime cyber security and autonomous marine operations

  • Marine infrastructure

    With sheltered, deep, uncongested waters and key operational sites, we have ideal conditions for marine autonomy operations

  • Industry hub

    A vibrant marine autonomy sector, hosting companies developing autonomous vessels, sensors and AI-enabled maritime technologies

  • Changing regulations

    Removing barriers to enable industry, government and academia to deliver operational, economic and societal impact

  • Skills and training

    Existing and new education pathways will deliver a skilled, future-ready marine autonomy workforce

  • UK's only Defence Freeport

    Offering 88+ hectares of employment land across three tax sites

Dual-use technology

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Advanced Marine Technology

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Research & Development

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Green Technologies

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Cyber Security

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Skills and training

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Simulation & Digital Twins

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Regulatory & Policy Support

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Data & Sensors

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Test Ranges

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Marine Infrastructure

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Robotics Labs

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Dual-use technology · Advanced Marine Technology · Research & Development · Green Technologies · Cyber Security · Skills and training · Simulation & Digital Twins · Regulatory & Policy Support · Data & Sensors · Test Ranges · Marine Infrastructure · Robotics Labs ·

Defence-driven Growth

Plymouth is central to the UK’s defence capability and resilience.

More than £4 billion has been committed to HM Naval Base Devonport and Babcock’s Devonport Royal Dockyard over the next decade, and Plymouth is the only city earmarked to receive funding through the UK Government’s £250 million Defence Growth Deals programme.

Led by a consortium of civic, industry and academic partners - under the banner of Team Plymouth - there is an unprecedented focus on dual-use innovations that deliver benefits for the city and region, and act as the catalyst for major economic and social change

The National Centre for Marine Autonomy (NCMA) is a critical component of that work, celebrating the city’s expertise, facilities and ingenuity in marine autonomy in a way that inspires a new vision for defence-driven growth.

  • "Defence is an engine for growth. This an opportunity to develop, scale up and test marine autonomy. This sector is incredible, innovative and the work we are doing in the city is cutting edge. There is a place for investment and that’s Plymouth.

    —Luke Pollard

    MP for Plymouth Sutton and Devonport

  • "Investing in Plymouth's businesses for testing and developing marine autonomy will enable UK PLC to build sovereign capabilities and secure a significant share in this growing market, particularly in the fields of defence, renewables, and oil and gas.

    —Cllr Tudor Evans OBE

    Leader, Plymouth City Council

  • "Working across existing and new collaborations, we can now push forward with ambitious plans to grow a sector that is critical to our nation’s defence and security, and has the potential to benefit the environment, business, health and much more.

    —Professor Richard Davies

    Vice-Chancellor, University of Plymouth