Fugro, the surveying and underwater technology specialist, has acquired full ownership of SEA-KIT, a UK company behind unmanned and autonomous vessel development.
Netherlands-based Fugro has had a long-standing investment in SEA-KIT, which has made some breakthrough developments in autonomous vessels, such as the first commercially available remotely operated uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and proprietary vessel control systems.
SEA-KIT made a name for itself last year when one of its vessels was sent to survey the remains of an underwater volcano in Tonga in the Pacific when it was considered too dangerous for a manned vessel to enter the area.
While Fugro has been using SEA-KIT’s 12 and 18-metre-long USVs for surface surveys of offshore sites and ports, the US defence industry has also begun to deploy unmanned SEA-KIT units.
Henk van Dalen, Director Blue Robotics at Fugro, said: “We look forward to leveraging their knowledge and growing the SEA-KIT product offering to the maritime industry as we continue to drive innovation in this space.”
The company said this includes work on hydrogen-powered USVs.
