The NavalX Mid-Atlantic Tech Bridge (MATB) and 757 Collab have launched the Defense Technology Accelerator — a new program designed to fast-track dual-use technologies for Department of Defense (DoD) impact. With a deadline of April 30, 2025 the accelerator is nearing the end of its application window for the inaugural cohort.

The world’s oceans remain one of the last great frontiers, and thanks to the advanced U-Boat Worx Cruise Sub submarines aboard Viking and Seabourn expedition vessels, a new era of marine exploration and scientific discovery is unfolding. These cutting-edge submersibles are not only offering guests an unparalleled glimpse into the deep but also serving as critical tools for oceanographic research—ushering in groundbreaking studies that deepen our understanding of marine ecosystems.

Following the successful completion of a pilot trenching project in 2024, Deep C and DOF will begin the main deepwater trenching operation in Asia in Q2 2025. The pilot phase tested Deep C’s ROV Trenching Skid in water depths exceeding 1,000 meters, confirming its ability to operate efficiently in challenging seabed conditions. With valuable experience from the trial, Deep C and DOF are now moving ahead with the final trenching scope, ensuring precise and efficient execution.

Teledyne Marine is pleased to announce its first orders for the Compact Navigator—its new ultra-compact, high-performance autonomous navigation system for subsea and surface vehicles—following a successful launch at Ocean Business 2025. Ashtead Technology has placed a significant initial order, marking the first commercial adoption of what is now the world’s smallest and highest-performing, fully integrated autonomous navigation solution.

Micro and small-sized AUVs can integrate a wide range of sensors and navigation systems, making them ideal for applications in littoral waters due to their ease of deployment and operation. However, effectively exploring, locating, and mapping survey targets often requires combining multiple sensing techniques. Additionally, close-range, high-resolution inspection—traditionally performed by a secondary vehicle like an ROV—is highly desirable.

After some days of coordinated operations, Standing NATO Mine Countermeasures Group One (SNMCMG1) has successfully wrapped up a focused Historical Ordnance Disposal Operation (HODOPS) effort in the Bay of Riga. While continuing its Baltic Sentry mission, the multinational group concentrated on training procedures like detecting, classifying identifying, and disposing of historic sea mines and other unexploded ordnance (UXO) dating back to the First and Second World War.

Fugro and Damen have teamed up to provide the Royal Netherlands Navy (RNLN) with a surveillance vessel and operating crew. The Dutch Ministry of Defence has contracted this new partnership to enhance its marine security and surveillance capabilities. The RNLN will deploy the surveillance vessel to conduct security operations within the Netherlands’ North Sea exclusive economic zone (EEZ), both above and below the water. Using advanced technology like uncrewed vehicles, it will enable the RNLN to monitor vessel activities in the North Sea and survey critical underwater infrastructure, such as cables and pipelines.

An international team of scientists and crew on board Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessel Falkor (too) was the first to film the colossal squid (Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni) in its natural environment. The 30-centimeter juvenile squid (nearly one foot long) was captured on video at a depth of 600 meters (1968 feet) by the Institute’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV) SuBastian. The sighting occurred on March 9 on an expedition near the South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. This year is the 100-year anniversary of the identification and formal naming of the colossal squid, a member of the glass squid family (Cranchiidae).

Boxfish Robotics is proud to announce the launch of their first generation of fully autonomous tetherless hovering Boxfish AUV (Hovering Autonomous Underwater Vehicle), featuring cutting-edge advancements in autonomy that set a new standard in underwater exploration.

Klein Marine Systems, a leader in sonar technology, has selected the Exail Octans Nano OEM Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) as the standard navigation solution for their 5900 Side Scan Sonar (SSS). This collaboration aims to enhance the sonar’s precision and reliability for high-resolution seabed mapping, supporting a range of defense, security, and commercial applications.

Forum Energy Technologies, Inc. (FET) announced it has upgraded its video recording solutions, optimising the survey and inspection of subsea assets. This latest advancement will deliver superior video quality and a versatile array of signal inputs.

Teledyne Marine announces the purchase and delivery of a Gavia Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) to one of the subsidiaries of the Sea Vorian group, SEA360, located in Caudan, France. With this investment, SEA360 will be able to provide cutting-edge geophysical surveys, cable and subsea infrastructure inspection, environmental studies and become a leading European provider for underwater data collection and analysis.

Saipem was present at the OMC - MED Energy Conference & Exhibition in Ravenna, the most important energy event in the Mediterranean area, with Hydrone-W, its all-electric underwater drone. Hydrone-W is approximately 3 meters long, almost 2 meters wide, 1.9 meters high, and weighing 4.2 tons, is positioned at the main entrance of the outdoor area of the Fair on a dedicated raised platform, where it was visible to all visitors for the entire duration of the event from April 8 to 10, 2025. Equipped with a remote-control system, it was designed by Saipem for the development and industrialization of underwater technologies and solutions for the maintenance and inspection of underwater plants and lifting loads of over 200 kg.

The establishment of Saildrone Denmark comes at a time when the need for enhanced regional maritime security is more urgent than ever. From recent sabotage incidents in the Baltic Sea to rising geopolitical tensions across Northern Europe, it’s clear that traditional maritime surveillance methods alone are no longer sufficient.

Kraken Robotics Inc. announced that it is launching a synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) service for the global offshore energy market. Kraken’s commercial services team will have dedicated KATFISH towed SAS systems available for rental starting July 2025.

Blue Water Autonomy, Inc., the technology company building autonomous ships for the U.S. Navy, emerged from stealth today, and announced $14M in seed funding from Eclipse, Riot, and Impatient Ventures. The company is building a completely unmanned and highly producible ship that can serve many missions on the open ocean.

The UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has unveiled an ambitious new Innovation Hub in Southampton, designed to accelerate advances in ocean technology and support sustainable growth across the blue economy.

Fugro and Spoor, a software company that helps renewable energy projects reduce their environmental impact, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a new bird-monitoring solution for offshore renewable energy projects. This innovative system will not only help protect bird populations but also supports the growth of renewable energy by making environmental assessments more affordable, cleaner, and safer.