Italian offshore services provider Next Geosolutions (NextGeo) has secured a contract worth more than $32.7 million (€28 million) as lead partner of a consortium for marine survey work on a new high-voltage direct current (HVDC) link in Italy.
The contract was awarded by Terna and covers preliminary marine surveys and environmental characterization for the Milan - Montalto HVDC connection.
NextGeo will lead a temporary consortium with an approximately 84% stake, alongside CONISMA, Poliservizi and CIBM.
The project involves surveys along a marine route of about 280 km linking Lombardy and Lazio as part of Terna’s Hypergrid initiative to strengthen electricity transmission between northern and central-southern Italy.
Work will include high-precision seabed surveys to assess morphology, shallow stratigraphy, sediment characteristics and marine ecosystems along the planned cable corridor.
The submarine cable section will run from Montalto di Castro to the area near Avenza, with operations expected to begin in the second half of 2026 using multiple survey vessels.
The award follows a European tender process launched in May 2025, with the NextGeo-led consortium securing the highest overall score after technical and economic evaluation.