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Marine

Saildrone completes pioneering mapping mission of Cayman Islands’ EEZ

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Saildrone, a specialist provider of autonomous deep water mapping solutions, has completed its mission to map the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Cayman Islands, approximately 200 miles south-west of Cuba in the Caribbean Sea, using a Saildrone Surveyor uncrewed surface vehicle (USV).

Over the course of approximately 300 mission days, Saildrone surveyed approximately 90,000 square kilometers of seabed, in depths ranging from 20 meters to 7,000 meters, executing over 900 sound-velocity profile casts to ensure accurate bathymetric data.

One of the priorities of the mission was to survey four fishing banks – 60 Mile Bank, Lawfords Bank, Pickle Bank, and 12 Mile Bank – which serve as crucial hotspots of biodiversity supporting fisheries, tourism, and recreation, and are an indicator of the health of the Cayman Islands’ marine ecosystem. [Read more…] about Saildrone completes pioneering mapping mission of Cayman Islands’ EEZ

Candela says its flying electric ferries will ‘clean up the Maldives and end seasickness’ and bring world peace

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A fleet of revolutionary electric vessels will help the Maldives cut pollution – while giving tourists a smooth, seasickness-free ride. Meet the Swedish-made engineering marvel Candela P-12.

In 2026, tourists will be able to leave behind the bumpy, gasoline-smelling speedboats that dominate transport in the Maldives and instead board the Candela P-12, the world’s first “flying” electric shuttle ship.

A fleet of 10 cutting-edge, Swedish-built vessels has been purchased by the Maldivian operator Ego Shuttle. Flying 1.5 meters above the surface at higher speeds than any other electric ship, the innovative P-12 has been named a “game changer” for combining long electric range with high speed at sea. [Read more…] about Candela says its flying electric ferries will ‘clean up the Maldives and end seasickness’ and bring world peace

Sekikaiji to introduce new trencher purchased from subsea technology specialist SMD

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Japan-based submarine cable installation specialist, Sekikaiji Industry, has expanded its capabilities with the purchase of new trenching equipment from subsea technology and services provider, SMD.

Set to be delivered in spring 2026, the contract includes SMD’s high-power jet trencher with a dedicated high sea state launch and recovery system (LARS) and SMD Artemis, a pioneering cable and pipeline tracker.

Speaking on the new contract, Matthew Woodward, business development manager at SMD, explains: “Sekikaiji has again put their trust in SMD equipment to expand its cable trenching capability, ready for offshore wind. [Read more…] about Sekikaiji to introduce new trencher purchased from subsea technology specialist SMD

Micropolis partners with MCS Robotics to develop container cleaning robot for Swedish port

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Micropolis, a pioneer in unmanned ground vehicles, has entered into an agreement with Helsingborgs Hamn, operator of the Port of Helsingborg in Sweden, and MCS Robotics, a Swedish robotics firm, to jointly develop and test the “Box Cleaner”, an autonomous robotic cleaning system designed for cleaning freight containers in port and industrial environments.

The Box Cleaner is built on Micropolis’ proprietary M2 platform, integrating the company’s AI navigation software, edge-computing architecture, and autonomous control systems.

Designed for large outdoor and semi-industrial environments, the robot performs precision cleaning operations over extended periods without human intervention.

The platform’s capabilities include adaptive route planning, object recognition, and dynamic resource optimization, allowing the robot to minimize water and power consumption while maintaining consistent operational output. The company expects the trial to yield detailed operational data for refining performance metrics ahead of broader commercialization. [Read more…] about Micropolis partners with MCS Robotics to develop container cleaning robot for Swedish port

Tethys Robotics secures €3.5 million in pre-seed funding to automate hazardous underwater operations

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Swiss startup Tethys Robotics, a spin-out from ETH Zurich and now a leader in underwater robotics, has announced the successful closing of a €3.5 million pre-seed financing round.

The round was led by Redstone with Euregio+ & Alpine VC, and backed by Zürcher Kantonalbank, ETH Foundation, Kickfund, and Venture Kick.

The capital will be used to further develop and scale Tethys ONE: a compact hybrid underwater drone capable of both remote and autonomous operation. [Read more…] about Tethys Robotics secures €3.5 million in pre-seed funding to automate hazardous underwater operations

Autonomous ship technology provider Orca AI partners with Harren Group

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Harren Group, one of Germany’s leading ship-owning and maritime logistics specialists, will partner with maritime technology pioneer Orca AI to strengthen navigational safety and operational efficiency for their newbuild heavy-lift vessels, multipurpose vessels, deck carriers and bulkers – marking a key milestone in Harren Group’s drive toward a measurable, data-driven safety culture.

Nils Aden, managing director at Harren Group, says: “Our new Orca vessels are equipped with innovative, ultra-efficient engine and propulsions systems, enabling emission-neutral operations.

“Now, we’re taking it a step further by integrating Orca AI – a cutting-edge situational awareness system that enhances safety, reduces fuel consumption and supports smarter, more sustainable operations at sea.” [Read more…] about Autonomous ship technology provider Orca AI partners with Harren Group

ZF Marine and Avikus partner to advance autonomous marine control systems

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ZF Marine, a specialist in marine propulsion and control systems, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Avikus, HD Hyundai’s autonomous navigation subsidiary.

The agreement will integrate Avikus’ Neuboat Navi with Control Autonomous System into ZF’s TotalCommand electronic control platform, marking a significant step forward in the evolution of intelligent marine operations.

Under the terms of the MOU, Avikus will utilize ZF’s open protocol marine controllers to enable seamless compatibility with its award- winning autonomous navigation technologies. [Read more…] about ZF Marine and Avikus partner to advance autonomous marine control systems

Samsung tests Diden robots for shipyard welding and automation

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Samsung Heavy Industries has carried out successful trials of a new industrial walking robot designed for welding and inspection on ships, marking a step toward wider automation in one of South Korea’s most labor-intensive industries.

The technology comes from Diden Robotics, a startup founded in 2024 by alumni of the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology’s (KAIST) Hu-bo Lab.

Its quadrupedal robot, known as Diden 30, uses magnetic feet and autonomous navigation to move across steel walls and ceilings, and has demonstrated the ability to cross shipyard structures such as longitudinal stiffeners. [Read more…] about Samsung tests Diden robots for shipyard welding and automation

NYK expands robotic hull-cleaning partnership with Neptune Robotics

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Traditional hull cleaning is labor-intensive, risky, and expensive. Human divers or remotely operated vehicles struggle with underwater conditions, strong currents, and the challenge of accessing every part of a large vessel’s hull.

That is the problem Japan’s NYK Line – one of the world’s largest shipping companies – is tackling through an expanded partnership with Hong Kong-based Neptune Robotics.

The two companies have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding to roll out Neptune’s AI-driven hull-cleaning robots across NYK’s global fleet of more than 820 vessels. [Read more…] about NYK expands robotic hull-cleaning partnership with Neptune Robotics

Fugro and NOAA partner to advance remote deep-ocean mapping

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Fugro and NOAA Ocean Exploration have entered into a five-year Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) to design and deploy remote and uncrewed technologies that will accelerate deep-ocean mapping and characterisation.

This public-private partnership aims to close critical data gaps in one of the least understood parts of our planet, enabling informed decisions about offshore energy, marine resource management and national security.

The collaboration combines NOAA’s scientific and operational expertise with Fugro’s leadership in remote and uncrewed systems. [Read more…] about Fugro and NOAA partner to advance remote deep-ocean mapping