Rhode Island
The Pentagon put out a call for autonomous boats. Two Navy veterans started a Rhode Island company to make them. – The Boston Globe
The next day, Lwin and Joe Turner, also a Navy veteran, quit their jobs and started Havoc – a Rhode Island-based company that does just that.
Officially formed in early 2024, Havoc, now boasts about 130 employees from New England to Hawaii, and produces not only autonomous vessels, but also the software that allows them to do “sophisticated things together,” said Lwin, Havoc’s CEO.
They may, for example, be stationed and programmed to protect a manned-military boat against enemies while traversing the ocean. Stateside, they could enhance security at cargo ports, among other uses, Lwin said.
“Even back in ’24 and now in ’26, there are a lot of people building these robots in different domains. Whether it’s maritime, air, or ground, if you think about it, they’re all robots. They just do different things,” Lwin said.
“We realized that the challenge wasn’t building those specific robots, but the challenge was making those robots work together and work with [humans] to do something useful.”
Lwin recently spoke to the Globe about Havoc’s work, its footprint in Rhode Island, and what’s next for the fast-growing company.
Q. So the idea is that you can have these boats that are equipped with your tech: You make the entire boat and then you make the software that allows the boats to communicate with each other without human input?
Lwin: Yep. We started with smaller boats, but now we’re all the way up to a 100-foot ship in Hawaii that’s running our software, and now we’ve started putting it on other things, like ground vehicles and quadcopters, and it’s the same exact software stack that’s controlling all of these.
What would be a situation the military would use this for?
There are multiple use cases. One simple use case is transferring supplies. In the Pacific, the US military is moving into these island chains … and you have to transfer supplies between them, right?
If you think about how we do that now, you would use helicopters or manned ships, which put people in danger. In a conflict with China, they’re going to probably shoot down any giant helicopters or any ships, and so you don’t want to put people at risk. So this is a way of using these vessels and these aerial platforms and even land vehicles to move supplies between and in these islands.
The other thing is what we call ISR [or intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance]. You can put thousands of these vessels in the ocean. They create a distributed sensor network. They’re all talking to each other. They can have different sensors on each boat, and then they’re all communicating and fusing that information, and giving you an ability to understand what’s going on in these big ocean areas.
Is the military and defense industry your primary business right now?
There’s some commercial use cases. We could complement harbor police. The other thing is environmental monitoring.
Right now, after a storm, especially for those [roll-on, roll-off] ships in Narragansett Bay, there are essentially fishing vessels that go out and take depth meters to make sure there’s enough draft, that the ro-ro ships aren’t going to run aground. So it’s very intensive, especially in the freezing cold. We could put those sensors on our vessels, and they could do with a human just sitting in a warm room, controlling hundreds of these vessels safely.
You have facilities all over the United States. What do you do at your locations in Boston and East Providence?
It’s a hardware site. We would not be where we are if we weren’t based in the Northeast. We needed access to the boat builders – and so Rhode Island makes the most sense – but also water space to test.
You also have the tech sector here, right? If you think about in Massachusetts, with MIT, Harvard, BU, BC, all of those colleges all have very good engineering programs. And in Rhode Island, you’ve got Brown, URI, right? In Connecticut, you have Yale, UConn. They’re producing very good engineers, and to be able to tap into that pool is what allowed us to move as quickly as possible.
Where do you want Havoc to be in the next two years?
We want to successfully have built thousands of these vessels and put them into the ocean. There’s a very compelling and relevant reason right now: If we do that, we might prevent a war in the Pacific. If the United States is able to put thousands of autonomous vessels and provide our allies with those vessels, it might just change the calculus – for China to not invade Taiwan and have this global conflict. So that is what we are focused on.
This interview has been condensed and edited for length and clarity.
The Boston Globe’s weekly Ocean State Innovators column features a Q&A with Rhode Island innovators who are starting new businesses and nonprofits, conducting groundbreaking research, and reshaping the state’s economy. Send tips and suggestions to rinews@globe.com.
Christopher Gavin can be reached at christopher.gavin@globe.com.
2026 Day of Portugal Festival and Parade dates, lineup and more
Rhode Island’s Day of Portugal — June 5-7 in Providence: live music, food, dance & family fun; parade
Maria João “MJ” Albuquerque Martins and John Furtado will serve as the grand marshals of the 2026 RI Day of Portugal Parade.
Martins, a longtime RI Day of Portugal volunteer, will be recognized for “her lifelong dedication to preserving and uplifting Portuguese culture in Rhode Island,” according to RI Day of Portugal officials.
Furtado will be recognized for his “lifelong dedication to volunteerism, cultural preservation, and service to the Portuguese‑American community.”
“This year we honor two of the most humble and hardworking individuals who have supported not only RI Day of Portugal, but many Portuguese organizations across Rhode Island,” said James Ferreira, president of the RI Day of Portugal Committee.
“These are the people who roll up their sleeves, the ones in the kitchen, cleaning up, setting up, and making things happen,” he added. “They represent the true spirit of service and community, and I’m deeply grateful for their dedication.”
The 49th Annual Rhode Island Day of Portugal Parade will step off Sunday, June 7 at 3 p.m. from the Rhode Island State House. It will proceed to Smith Street Terrace, Canal Street, Memorial Boulevard and South Water Street, and end at 195 District Park.
From Clube Juventude Lusitana to RI Day of Portugal, Martins’ leadership, cultural preservation and community impact
Martins, a native of Maputo, Mozambique, has dedicated her life to preserving and promoting Portuguese culture in Rhode Island through leadership, education and the arts.
“Maria João’s lifelong commitment to service, cultural preservation, and community pride embodies the spirit of Portugal — resilient, vibrant, and deeply rooted in tradition,” according to RI Day of Portugal officials.
Martins joined the Clube Juventude Lusitana at age seven, later mentoring students and strengthening its cultural programs.
After studying at the University of Coimbra, she returned to Rhode Island and served the organization in multiple roles, including secretary, public relations officer and interim director of its Portuguese school, where she led a successful transition to remote learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
A recognized photographer, Maria João has earned several awards, including honors from the Pawtucket Annual Mayor’s Calendar.
For more than 15 years, she has volunteered with the Rhode Island Day of Portugal, serving as art and culture coordinator and organizing exhibits across the state. Her 2025 exhibit at the Museum of Work and Culture in Woonsocket marked the first presentation of Portuguese history and culture at the Smithsonian-affiliated site.
Martins said she was grateful and honored to serve as grand marshal.
“Thank you to the RI Day of Portugal directors, members, and the community for this meaningful recognition,” Martins said. “Let us continue to stay united through our roots and traditions, preserving our heritage for future generations.”
Furtado honored for ‘quiet dedication, cultural pride, and a heart that leads through action’
Born in Pawtucket, Furtado has spent more than 40 years dedicated to community service and preserving Portuguese traditions in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts.
“Those who know him speak of a man with a big heart, a gentle spirit, and a deep sense of responsibility to the people and traditions he serves,” RI Day of Portugal officials said, noting that he has never sought recognition for his efforts.
“His service has always been rooted in sincerity and a genuine desire to give back,” they added. “His lifelong commitment to service reflects the very best of our community — quiet dedication, cultural pride, and a heart that leads through action.”
A second-generation Portuguese American, Furtado began volunteering at age 15 at churches and cultural organizations, including St. Anthony’s Church, Our Lady of Fatima Church in Rhode Island and the Great Feast of the Holy Ghost of New England in Fall River.
He has also supported several Portuguese clubs, including the Pawtucket Social Club and Clube Juventude Lusitana, earning a reputation for reliability and quiet dedication.
In addition to his volunteer work, the Lincoln High School graduate built a lifelong career in construction, starting at age 16.
“Thank you to RI Day of Portugal, and thank you to the community,” said Furtado after learning he would be co-grand marshal of the 2026 RI Day of Portugal Parade. “I’m grateful to be part of your families, and I hope our culture continues to grow for generations to come.”
BRISTOL, R.I. (WJAR) — A bill that puts restrictions on self-checkout lanes is headed to the Rhode Island House of Representatives.
The legislation would require grocery stores to have one staffed checkout lane for every three self-checkouts.
The bill was passed by the Rhode Island Senate on May 21.
Senate President Valarie Lawson said it is to help cashiers, as well as customers who may struggle with checking out their groceries, and Rep. Megan Cotter said the bill is about both cashier and customer protection.
Coastal ABC’s Cate Hanewich spoke with customers about the bill. (WJAR)
However, Scott Bromberg, executive director of the Rhode Island Food Dealers Association, sees the bill in a different way.
Bromberg said he does not want limitations on self-checkout, and that consumers want the fast-shopping experience that self-checkout has to offer.
“The way modern consumers shop has changed, and they want a faster checkout,” he said.
However, Cotter claims that consumers want staffed registers.
Bristol resident Alan Gorbutt agrees and said he does not like self-checkout.
“I like the old-fashioned way. Just go to the regular checkout, seeing the regular lady with the happy smile. I get my groceries that way,” Gorbutt said.
Shopper Christine Auserwald said she will go between the two options but has a preference.
“I prefer manual checkout, but if the lines are too long, I do go to self-checkout,” Auserwald said.
Other customers said they only use self-checkout.
“More convenient, I’m mostly, in and out,” one shopper said.
Bromberg also voiced concern that the bill only limits grocery stores.
Customers using the self-checkout lanes. (WJAR)
“Right now, self-checkout is everywhere you can think of. It’s in hardware stores. It’s in pharmacies, dollars stores, craft stores, discount stores. And we just don’t understand why it only applies to grocery stores,” Bromberg said.
However, Cotter said the bill also includes retail stores Target and Walmart.
If passed, Rhode Island would be the first state in the country to have a statewide restriction on self-checkout.
COVENTRY, RI — Coventry area Kent County arrests in the RI Trooper Log May 18- 30 involved charges for possession of a stolen vehicle and fentanyl possession.
Here are the basics on those RI State Police Kent County arrests and Kent County arrests:
Kent County Arrests May 18 – 30
Stolen vehicle On Wednesday, May 27, at 2:04 p.m., troopers arrested Miriam Ndemba, 26, of 147 Devonshire Street, Providence Rhode Island, on an Affidavit and Arrest Warrant for Vehicle Theft, originating out of the Providence Police Department. The arrest was the result of a motor vehicle stop on Route 95 in the Town of West Greenwich. The subject was transported to the State Police Hope Valley Barracks where she was processed and later turned over to the Providence Police Department.
Missed Court, Weapons Charge On Thursday May 28, 2026, at 10:52 p.m., troopers arrested Joshua Harrington, 19, of 9 Bunny Trail, Hope, Rhode Island, for a Third Division District Court Bench Warrant for Failure to Appear for Pretrial Conference on the original charge of Weapons Other Than Firearms, originating out of the Coventry Police Department.
This arrest was the result of a motor vehicle stop on Cowesett Avenue in the Town of West Warwick. Harrington was processed at the Hope Valley Barracks and turned over to the Adult Correctional Institutions Men’s Intake Center.
Fentanyl Possession On Friday May 29, at 10:32 p.m., troopers arrested Victoria Barrett, 33 of 981 Main St., West Warwick, Rhode Island, for 1.) Possession of Schedule I to V Controlled Substance – Less than 10 Grams (Fentanyl) and 2.) Affidavit and Arrest Warrant for Possession of Schedule I to V Controlled Substance, originating out of the Rhode Island State Police – Lincoln Woods Barracks. This arrest was the result of a Barracks investigation by Seargent O’Donnell and Troopers subsequently taking Barrett into custody at her residence. Barrett was processed at State Police Headquarters, arraigned by the Justice of the Peace, and transported to the Adult Correctional Institutions – Women’s Intake Center.
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