Schmidt Ocean Institute Advances R/V Falkor (too)’s Mapping Capabilities
, which sends sound from the vessel to the seafloor. Scientists, especially hydrographers, use the time it takes for the sound to travel between the ship and the seafloor to calculate the depth, creating a bathymetric map and revealing seafloor features like underwater mountains and canyons. The Kongsberg Hugin Superior AUV, called The Childlike Empress, can operate to depths of up to 6000 meters and stay in the water for up to 72 hours — offering access to 98% of the ocean floor, with the exception of the deepest trenches. The organization’s ROV SuBastian can operate in waters up to
Kongsberg Maritime Secures LARS Contract with Sea1 Offshore
Kongsberg Maritime has signed a major contract with Sea1 Offshore to deliver Launch and Recovery Systems (LARS) for the company’s four new offshore construction vessels. Each vessel will be equipped with two advanced LARS units, supporting subsea construction and ROV operations.The scope of supply per vessel includes two telescopic A-frames, fully electrical umbilical winches, energy efficient hydraulic power units, and a dedicated control system. Each system offers a safe working load of 15 tonnes (vehicle dry weight) and winch cable capacity of 4,500 meters, ensuring robust performance for
Saildrone Maps Cayman Islands EEZ
in near real-time. This remote-operations model—central to the success of the Cayman campaign—also demonstrated how small island nations can access global-standard hydrography without owning, maintaining, or staffing a survey vessel.The Surveyor’s integrated multibeam suite—Kongsberg EM 304 MKII and EM 2040 MKII systems—proved capable of achieving high-quality data across a depth range from 20 m to 7,000 m, filling critical gaps in previously uncharted seabed. Equally important was the performance of Saildrone’s co-developed, inductively charged AML Oceanographics
Kongsberg Discovery, MacArtney Partner for ROTV Surveying and Inspection Capability
Kongsberg Discovery and MacArtney Underwater Technology have signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) creating a new level of turnkey capability in towed underwater sensing solutions. The agreement will see all Kongsberg Discovery systems integrated onto MacArtney’s remotely operated towed vehicle (ROTV) platforms, bringing two technology leaders together in one offer for defense, energy and ocean science users worldwide.The agreement, signed December 1 at Kongsberg Discovery’s facility in Horten, Norway, was lauded as “a natural partnership”.“This partnership
Kongsberg Discovery Welcomes Joint Declaration of Baltic Sea Security for Critical Infrastructure
Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.According to an official statement by the Norwegian State Secretary, Marte Gerhardsen, the declaration marks an important step towards closer cooperation and strengthened preparedness in the region. In addition, on the same day, Kongsberg Defence and Aerospace became part of The Green Industrial District – Kashubia Project in Poland, agreeing with local authorities to establish operations related to the project.The declaration aims to:Strengthen military cooperation between the countries in the region to improve defense preparednes
Kongsberg to Spin Off Maritime Unit, Combine Defense Businesses in Strategic Split
Kongsberg Gruppen has proposed spinning off its Kongsberg Maritime business in a separate stock market listing and consolidating its Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace and Kongsberg Discovery units into a single technology and defense company.The group said sustainability and security trends have driven strong growth over the past decade and are expected to continue shaping demand, making focused specialist businesses better positioned for global opportunities.The Norwegian state, which owns 50% of Kongsberg, has expressed support for the transaction, according to the company.Kongsberg Maritime is
Kongsberg Maritime Celebrates 10 years of Rim-Drive Thruster Technology
Kongsberg Maritime has celebrated a decade since the launch of its rim-drive permanent magnet thruster technology.Following extensive trials of the first prototype tunnel thrusters, including installation on the anchor handling vessel Olympic Octopus, the first rim-drive azimuth thruster was introduced in 2015 onboard the Norwegian research vessel RV Gunnerus, representing a leap forward in marine propulsion.Since then, the technology has evolved into a versatile offering available in both tunnel (RD-TT) and azimuth (RD-AZ) configurations, for a wide range of vessel types including offshore support
University of Gothenburg to Buy New AUV
the exact mechanisms behind the melting,” says Anna Wåhlin, professor of oceanography, who led the expedition with Ran in Antarctica.With a generous donation from the Voice of the Ocean Foundation (VOTO) and funds from insurance, the University of Gothenburg are able to buy a new AUV from Kongsberg AS, with delivery expected in winter 2026/2027. The new vehicle, named Ran II, will have the same capacity as Ran, but will be equipped with more robust decision support for emergencies and improved navigation. The upgrades will enhance both safety and precision in hard-to-reach environments such
Reach Remote 1 USV Cleared for Fully Remote Operations
with significantly lower emissions and reduced need for offshore personnel.Reach Subsea is preparing Reach Remote 2 for deployment in Australia, with Reach Remote 3 and 4 under construction.Reach Subsea’s USV Heads to Australia for Work with Woodside EnergyReach Subsea Orders Two More USVs from Kongsberg Maritim
December 2025
