Green Tech: Rise of the [Hull Clening] Robots
For centuries, shipowners have fought a persistent enemy beneath the waterline: biofouling. Barnacles, algae, slime and other marine organisms attach themselves to hull surfaces, increasing hydrodynamic drag and reducing vessel efficiency. Traditionally, the fight against fouling relied on antifouling coatings, diver cleaning teams, and periodic drydock maintenance. But in the last decade, a new class of underwater robotics has begun to change that equation.Robotic hull-cleaning systems, once viewed primarily as a niche environmental compliance tool, are quickly becoming an operational necessity for
Decom Engineering Secures US Patent for Subsea Cutting Tech
system that allows components such as motors and blades to be replaced on site, as well as adaptable clamping configurations enabling use across different structures, from umbilicals to mooring chains.“Our aim has always been to develop cutting technology that is robust, adaptable and capable of performing in the most challenging environments. The patent is important for safeguarding our leading position in the cutting market, and reinforces our ability to protect our engineering advantage.“The United States is widely regarded as one of the most rigorous and competitive patent jurisdictions
DOI Begins Transition to Establish Marine Minerals Administration
The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) has started a phased plan to establish the Marine Minerals Administration, bringing together the functions of the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement.This action is intended to improve coordination and increase efficiencies across offshore leasing, permitting, inspections and environmental oversight, while maintaining all existing regulatory protections and rigorous safety standards, said the Department in a statement.This streamlined approach reflects the evolution of offshore energy development and the
Intruder Alert: Ports Face a Range of Underwater Threats
On December 15, 2025, footage from a hacked security camera at Russia’s Novorossiysk Naval Base captured a powerful underwater explosion rocking a berthed Kilo-class submarine. The Ukrainian Security Service (SBU) subsequently took responsibility for the attack, claiming that it had been carried out by a previously undisclosed uncrewed underwater vehicle (UUV), “Sub Sea Baby.” While Ukraine has been quite open about its efforts to deploy combat UUVs (an armed “Marichka” may have been used in an underwater strike on the Kerch bridge in June of 2025), the Novorossiysk
Eco Wave Power Completes Los Angeles Wave Energy Pilot with Shell
studies through engineering, installation and operational testing, meeting all contractual milestones under the pilot test agreement between the companies.Eco Wave Power said the pilot validated the deployment of wave energy systems integrated with existing coastal infrastructure, without the need for seabed anchoring, offshore construction or subsea cabling.The company added that the system operated successfully under real marine conditions, demonstrating reliability and confirming regulatory feasibility following approvals from U.S. authorities, including the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and
NOAA Ship Rainier to Map Critical Mineral Deposits in Pacific US Waters
autonomous underwater vehicles from Orpheus Ocean to acquire high-resolution seabed imagery and geological samples, in partnership with the NOAA Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute. NOAA will produce publicly accessible maps and images of these federal waters in the Pacific. These products will inform NOAA, other federal agencies and interested parties of the likelihood of finding critical mineral deposits in the surveyed area. This effort will generate high-quality, deep-ocean data to help increase the baseline understanding of the deep-ocean environment, as well as stimulate further potential
Russia’s Lavrov Says US Seeking Control of Nord Stream Gas Pipelines
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the U.S. has been seeking control over the Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea, which were damaged by mysterious blast in September 2022.Explosions that destroyed the pipelines more than three years ago largely severed Russian gas transit to Europe, squeezing energy supplies on the continent although Russia had already largely stopped deliveries.Russia and Western countries have both said the incident was an act of sabotage. Investigators spent years trying to piece together the mystery of who was behind it and last year a Ukrainian man was arrested
Marine Technology TV Discusses Latest ROV Trends
Marine Technology TV presenter and editor Celia Konowe caught up with Chris Gibson, VideoRay’s Vice President & General Manager for UUV, at Oceanology International in London this month to discuss the latest trends in ROV capabilities.The company has just launched its Mission Specialist Wraith, the newest addition to the Mission Specialist Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) series designed for demanding subsea operations.Wraith delivers true six-degree-of-freedom maneuverability through 10 vectored thrusters, allowing it to hold any attitude—vertical, inverted, or fully rolled—while
Mark Offshore Adds Research Vessel Mintis to Support Offshore Renewables
Mark Offshore has agreed with Klaipėda University to operate the research vessel Mintis, expanding its fleet and strengthening its position in offshore renewables and subsea support services.Under the agreement, the Lithuanian university has appointed Mark Offshore as commercial and operational manager for the vessel’s activities within the renewables and energy sectors.The addition of Mintis is aimed at supporting offshore wind, marine survey and nearshore energy projects, as demand grows for flexible and cost-efficient subsea support vessels.Originally designed as a scientific research vessel
February 2026
