Yanmar, Sony Form Joint Venture for Underwater Sensing Technology
Yanmar Holdings Co., Ltd. and Sony Group Corporation have established a joint venture, YANMAR BLUE TECH Co., Ltd., to advance the development and real-world implementation of underwater sensing technology. The new company, 90% owned by Yanmar Holdings, was established September 8 and has commenced operations as of October 1, 2025.
The joint venture combines the two companies’ expertise to create new technologies and solutions that address marine sustainability issues such as ecosystem conservation and workforce shortages in underwater infrastructure inspections. Its first initiative is a research project to enhance and commercialize remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) used for underwater surveys and hull-cleaning operations.
Growing concern over greenhouse gas emissions from shipping and the spread of invasive organisms attached to hulls has prompted a stricter regulatory response from the International Maritime Organization. Meeting these requirements typically relies on divers to clean hulls, a method that raises safety and labor shortage concerns.
In response, Yanmar is developing a high-pressure water jet ROV that offers a fast cleaning speed, along with a debris collection system capable of filtering and retrieving organic material at the micrometer level. Sony brings advanced technologies to the project, including global-shutter image sensors that enable distortionless high-sensitivity image capture of moving objects, image processing technology adapted for turbidity, particulate matter, and other undersea conditions, and real-time self-position estimation systems.
By integrating Sony’s core technologies into Yanmar’s ROV, the project aims to enable underwater image clarity, 3D data generation, and precise self-positioning in underwater operations. This project hopes to develop a new solution to support safe, stable, and labor-free hull-cleaning operations.
Company overview:
- Name: YANMAR BLUE TECH Co., Ltd.
- CEO: Ichiro Fuwa (Seconded from Yanmar Holdings)
- Established: September 8, 2025
- Operations started: October 1, 2025
- Headquarters: 1-32, Chayamachi, Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan
- Capital: 388.3 million yen
- Ownership: Yanmar Holdings 90%, Sony Group Corporation 10%
- Business: Development and real-world implementation of underwater sensing and robotics technologies