Fincantieri, through its subsidiary IDS - Ingegneria dei Sistemi, and the Neapolitan Next Geosolutions Europe have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch a strategic collaboration in the development of Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) and related technologies for civil use in the Oil & Gas and Renewable. The agreement provides that the two companies combine their respective competences with the aim of defining the requirements and specifications of new USV platforms, optimized for offshore operations and for monitoring activities inspection, inspection and control of the integrity of Offshore infrastructure.

The collaboration will focus in particular on the development of of the SAND (Surface Advanced Naval Drone) project, carried out by IDS, and the development of a new USV model capable of responding to the operational needs of the main offshore market players. Through the integration of new technologies, automation and efficient energy solutions, the two companies aim to improve performance, range and safety operations at sea, while paving the way for further developments in the commercial vehicles already defined: the new generation vehicles will in fact be used directly by Next Geosolutions and subsequently placed on the international market, confirming the concrete industrial value of this collaboration.

Fincantieri has highlighted that with this project it is making its own entry into a strategic and rapidly evolving segment, that of of marine surveys, closely linked to the development of submarine energy and telecommunications infrastructure, where Autonomous technologies are a key element for increase the efficiency and safety of operations at sea.

The agreement will also allow for the enhancement of capacities operational units of the USVs, which will be able to work in synergy with the units thanks to dedicated launch and recovery systems, thus increasing efficiency and productivity of missions. The companies will also explore the possibility of to jointly develop a new USV vehicle, custom-designed to the operational needs of Next Geosolutions. This new medium will be able to include custom features, modular systems, and specific payloads for offshore survey activities.