MIT Researchers Reveal "Ammonia-Aluminum" Fuel for Prolonged Ocean Exploration

A new study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has introduced a transformative chemical fuel system that could redefine buoyancy control for long-range autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).Published in Cell Reports Physical Science, the research demonstrates that reacting activated aluminum with aqueous ammonia significantly enhances gas generation and energy density compared to…

RS Aqua Announces Strategic Partnership with US -based Seasats to Bring Autonomous Surface Vehicles to UK and Ireland Defence Market

RS Aqua announced a new strategic partnership with Seasats, a San Diego-based unmanned surface vehicle (USV) developer, to introduce their range of security platforms to the United Kingdom (UK) and Ireland defense market.Seasats is known for its high endurance, modular, and user-friendly USVs designed to deliver maritime domain awareness through autonomous operations. Through this partnership, RS Aqua…

Powering the Deepest Frontiers: Choosing Lithium Batteries for Extreme Subsea Vehicles

As human and robotic exploration moves deeper into the ocean than ever before, the performance expectations placed on subsea vehicles continue to rise. At full-ocean depth, every system must operate flawlessly under crushing pressures, near-freezing temperatures, and total isolation. At the center of this challenge lies one of the most mission-critical technologies of all: energy storage.Lithium batteries have become the undisputed champions of high-energy applications…

HydroSurv Delivers REAV-25 USV to Skanska Norway

HydroSurv has announced the sale and delivery of its latest REAV-25 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) to Skanska Norway AS, marking a milestone in Skanska’s expansion of uncrewed survey capability for infrastructure projects across the country.Skanska is a civil engineering and construction company with works spanning inland waterways, ports and harbors, and coastal environments. Supporting the successful delivery of these projects is Skanska’s in-house survey and inspection unit…

Rising expectations: A deep dive on underwater vehicles

Underwater vehicles have solidified their position, with autonomous and remotely operated platforms becoming core operational tools across offshore, defense, inspection and maintenance, exploration and marine science applications. As the subsea industry rapidly evolves to keep pace with global trends, several defining themes emerge amongst leading vehicle companies—multi-use, usability, visibility…

Deeply Innovative: Drivers in Subsea Defense

The undersea domain has never been more strategically important. From the proliferation of submarines and underwater vehicles, to the protection of subsea energy and communications infrastructure, maritime security now extends well beneath the ocean surface. As a result, defense agencies worldwide are investing heavily in underwater energy, navigation, sensing, autonomy, and communication systems to maintain domain awareness and respond to emerging threats.

Ocean Exchange Names Finalists for Three Awards

With its 2025 event set for October 26-28, Ocean Exchange has named the finalists for their three $100,000 awards, which will be conferred on October 28th. Ocean Exchange is a leader in supporting the acceleration of innovative solutions for healthy oceans, coastlines and the sustainable blue economy.Fifteen candidates will compete for (2) Neptune Awards and (1) Ocean Enterprise Award. Nine are from the USA…

Chile's Underwater Forests Face Anthropogenic Threats

In the cold seas off Chile's arid northern coast an underwater forest teems with life. Towers of red and green seaweed float upwards from the sea floor, providing food for wildlife, income for locals—and oxygen and carbon capture for the planet.For scientists, these forests hold even more potential as sustainable protein, food and other materials, though they are threatened by warming oceans and human pollution."They form a belt along coastal edges…

NUWC Division Newport Awards Recognize 12 Patent Inventors, Published Authors

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport’s newest crop of inventors and authors were celebrated during a ceremony that recognized the latest patents and journal articles on May 30. The event capped a technical focus theme of “Innovation” held throughout May and coincided with National Inventors Month.Plaques featuring 12 patents and an equal number of peer-reviewed publications were on display as Chief Technology Officer Dr.

REV Ocean Finds Ship Management Partner for New Expedition Vessel

V.Ships, part of V.Group, will partner up with REV Ocean to provide a suite of ship management services for the REV Ocean vessel, deemed the world’s largest and most advanced research and expedition ship.Currently at Vard Søviknes in Norway, the vessel will be equipped to conduct research across the entire marine ecosystem, using advanced technology systems.Scientists and other experts will use it for research expeditions…

Marine Batteries: Sunlight Acquires Lehmann Marine

Germany-based Lehmann Marine, a leader in maritime lithium ferrophosphate (LFP) battery systems, signed an agreement with the Greek Sunlight Group, a member of the Olympia Group, which has more than 30 years experience in the production of lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries. Under the agreement, Sunlight will acquire a 51% stake in Lehmann Marine.“This partnership is a transformational step for both companies,” said Alexander Lehmann, Managing Director of Lehmann Marine.

Metal Shark Debuts Prowler Autonomous Vessel and Frenzy Micro-USV

Louisiana-based boat builder Metal Shark has unveiled Prowler, its new autonomous, amphibious, and semi-submersible military craft engineered to meet the current and near future warfighting requirements of the U.S. military and its allies. The company is also debuting Frenzy, a high-performance, low-cost, amphibious micro-USV (uncrewed surface vehicle) with a payload carrying capacity of up to 14 pounds.“Prowler…

Teledyne Webb Research Unveils Slocum Sentinel Glider

Teledyne Webb Research announced the launch of its newest autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), the Slocum Sentinel Glider, set to debut at Oceanology International (OI) in London in March 2024.Designed for oceanographic monitoring across myriad applications, the new AUV expands the capabilities and endurance of the vehicle by building on the technology of Teledyne Webb Research’s Slocum G3 Glider,…

Mega AUV HUGIN Endurance Passes Sea Trials

Kongsberg Discovery started sea trials with its new long-range Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), HUGIN Endurance.Launched in 2021, HUGIN Endurance measures nearly 11m long with a 1.2m diameter, weighing around 8,000 kg. This mega AUV is rated to a depth of 6,000m and designed to facilitate independent multi-role operations spanning approximately 2,200km or 1,200 nautical miles.Powered by pressure-tolerant lithium batteries…

MTR100: Subsea Batteries

Subsea batteries are being configured to meet the demands of science and industry. In both cases, the aim remains to boost the endurance of underwater systems.Not that long ago, SubCtech claimed to be building the world’s largest and only Li-ion battery for subsea oil and gas applications - a 1MWh, 22-ton battery storage skid. The stakes are increasing in this upsizing market, with Kraken Robotics recently announcing an order for subsea batteries worth $16 million…

Hanwha Ocean Eyes Submarine Exports to Canada, Philippines, Poland - official

South Korea's Hanwha Ocean has pitched offers to build submarines to Canada, the Philippines, and Poland, a company official said on Wednesday, as the country pushes to become one of the world's top four defense exporters.Canada is studying potential builders for new submarines and has expressed interest in Hanwha Ocean among other foreign rivals, Kim Seung-min, leader of Hanwha Ocean's naval and special ship overseas marketing team…

UTEP Researchers put Autonomous Survey Boat to the Test

Researchers at The University of Texas at El Paso have constructed a fully autonomous boat that can carry out bathymetric surveys — surveys of the depth and terrain of bodies of water like oceans, rivers and lakes. The team hopes the robotic boat can help simplify the survey process, which usually takes a crew of individuals to complete, as well as assist with reconnaissance missions.The boat and its…

Kraken Robotics Wins $3M Order for SeaPower Subsea Batteries

Canadian subsea robotics firm Kraken Robotics has secured a $3 million order for its SeaPower subsea batteries from an unnamed client."Kraken’s SeaPower 6000-meter rated pressure tolerant batteries are based on Kraken’s unique pressure tolerant gel encapsulation technology for lithium polymer batteries," Kraken said.Kraken describes its batteries as "an attractively priced, environmentally friendly…

Subsea Infrastructure Power Looks at Renewables

Using renewable energy to power critical subsea infrastructure needs power management. It’s a capability Verlume will soon be proving off the Orkney Islands – and Hawaii.Integrating offshore renewables into offshore operations has become a major goal for oil and gas companies. A remote power supply could improve project economics for long step-outs, where they replace long power cables. Powering facilities…

Subsea Mining Plans Pit Renewable Energy Demand Against Ocean Life

As companies race to expand renewable energy and the batteries to store it, finding sufficient amounts of rare earth metals to build the technology is no easy feat. That’s leading mining companies to take a closer look at a largely unexplored frontier – the deep ocean seabed.A wealth of these metals can be found in manganese nodules that look like cobblestones scattered across wide areas of deep ocean seabed.