New Google Transatlantic Cable Connects Portugal with the US
Alphabet's Google has successfully connected a new transatlantic subsea cable to Sines in Portugal, it said on Tuesday, adding another U.S.-Europe data route as demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence services surges.Google's Nuvem, named after the Portuguese word for "cloud", links Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with Sines, south of Lisbon, via Bermuda and the Azores.The Nuvem cable system, which spans about 7,000 km (4,350 miles), comprises 16 fibre pairs with a total design capacity of around 384 terabits per second.Giorgia Abeltino, head of government
Unmanned Vessels Proliferate in today's "Hybrid Navy Extravaganza"
Technology companies and shipyards are vying for attention as the US unmanned navy grows in size and sophistication.No too long ago, US Navy Secretary John Phelan said: “If the last few years of conflict have taught us anything, it is that we will not win the wars of the future with the platforms of the past.” The nation’s ability to deter future conflict or to prevail, if necessary, will benefit from high quantities of low-cost air, surface and subsea unmanned systems. These will be used for close-range reconnaissance or one-way strike missions along with lower numbers of high-cost
US Proposes Seabed Mining Lease of Blocks Off American Samoa
The U.S. Interior Department has proposed a lease of more than 31 million acres off the coast of American Samoa for seabed mining, part of President Donald Trump's broader push to boost U.S. critical minerals production.The waters around the Pacific Ocean territory are estimated to contain large amounts of potato-shaped rocks known as polymetallic nodules filled with the building blocks for electric vehicles, weaponry and electronics.The department's Marine Mineral Administration (MMA) said on Thursday it aims to lease two blocks, one of 16.3 million acres and the other 15.1 million acres
The Maritime and Arctic Security and Safety conference (MASS) highlights Atlantic Canada's unique capabilities in defense and technology
conference is the biggest ever, according to Victoria Belbin, ACADA president and CEO.The conference, held at the St. John's Convention Centre, is examining the policies, technologies and operations to leverage Atlantic Canada's leadership in environmental management, economic leadership and workforce development.In his keynote remarks, Newfoundland Labrador Premier Tony Wakeham told the delegates that the province has the strategic geopolitical location as a gateway to the Arctic and Atlantic; a qualified workforce, and unique military and civil capabilities. "Newfoundland and Labrador
KONGSBERG, Oceaneering to Support Autonomous Defense Combat Program for XLUUV
KONGSBERG and Oceaneering International, Inc. announced their selection by the U.S. Department of War’s Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to support the Combat Autonomous Maritime Platform (CAMP) program, focused on the development of an Extra-Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV) for future U.S. Navy missions.The CAMP program accelerates the transition of mature commercial and defense technologies into operational naval capabilities. This collaboration will focus on concept definition, system architecture, and design trade studies, emphasizing modularity, interoperability, and rapid integration.
Vatn Systems Launches Autonomous Mine Countermeasure System
Vatn Systems, a defense technology company building autonomous underwater vehicles for the U.S. military, allied nations, and commercial customers, announced the launch of SIGURD, a fully modular mine countermeasure system capable of both detecting and neutralizing naval mines. Built on Vatn's Skelmir S6 AUV platform, SIGURD is the first all-in-one autonomous mine countermeasure system capable of tracking, detection, and terminal engagement at an unmatched price point that makes wide-scale deployment achievable.The launch of SIGURD comes as global demand for scalable, affordable mine countermeasures
UKSR to Embark on 4th Mission to Survey Deep Sea Minerals
CCZ license areas are rich in manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, and rare earths—minerals critical to defense, aerospace, energy, and modern manufacturing. The new 75-day research mission will be the first to gather geological and biological samples in UKSR’s second license area, UK2, in over forty years. This will build on the exploration work already conducted in UK1 since 2015.By gathering both resource and environmental data on a single campaign, Glomar Minerals continues to build the integrated dataset required to advance toward commercial recovery and bring polymetallic nodules to market
Summit at Sea Level to Accelerate Coastal Resilience in Louisiana
The Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) have agreed to a joint commitment to overhaul bureaucratic processes and accelerate coastal resilience efforts.The agreement follows the "Summit at Sea Level," hosted by CPRA and DOTD on Friday, June 26, 2026, in Baton Rouge. The event marked a convergence of top national, state, and local figures, bringing them together with federal partners, major industry associations, local governments, levee boards, ports
Deep Sea Mollusks Threatened by Mining Efforts
Over half of mollusc species that cluster around underwater vents and hold promising potential for medicine and technology are at risk of going extinct due to increasing deep-sea mining, the world's largest conservation network warned on Thursday.The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) renewed its call for a moratorium on such operations before U.N.-led talks this month.A growing number of firms extract critical minerals such as copper, cobalt or zinc from the superheated fluids emitted by natural hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor.These species, though constituting
February 2026
