Fincantieri, through its subsidiary IDS – Ingegneria dei Sistemi, has signed a memorandum of understanding with Next Geosolutions (NextGeo) to jointly develop unmanned surface vessels (USVs) and related technologies for the oil and gas and renewable energy industries.
The partnership aims to advance next-generation autonomous surface platforms optimized for open-sea operations, environmental monitoring, inspection, and offshore infrastructure integrity management.
The collaboration will focus on evolving IDS’s Surface Advanced Naval Drone (SAND) project and creating a new USV model designed to meet the operational needs of major offshore operators.
Both companies will integrate new technologies, automation systems, and efficient energy solutions to enhance performance, autonomy, and safety.
The new vessels are expected to be used directly by NextGeo before being introduced to the international market.
Working groups will define technical solutions to improve the flexibility and sustainability of offshore operations by combining IDS’s engineering expertise with Next Geosolutions’ field experience in marine surveys and services.
Fincantieri said the partnership strengthens its position in the growing marine survey and subsea technology market, which is closely tied to offshore energy and telecommunications infrastructure development.
The agreement also includes the possibility of jointly developing a bespoke USV with modular systems and specific payloads for offshore survey work.
“This agreement is further confirmation of the concrete work we are doing to systematize existing technologies in both the civil and military sectors, with the goal of providing integrated underwater solutions to meet the needs of key offshore market players in the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and General Manager of Fincantieri.
“This collaboration with IDS represents another step forward in our journey toward innovation and sustainability in offshore operations. We firmly believe that the integration of USV systems can create a tangible competitive advantage in terms of operational efficiency, cost reduction, and minimization of environmental impact,” added Giovanni Ranieri, CEO of NextGeo.