Fincantieri, through its subsidiary IDS – Ingegneria dei Sistemi, and Next Geosolutions Europe S.p.A. signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) for civil applications in Oil & Gas and Renewable Energy. The agreement was signed by Matteo Marchiori, CEO of IDS, and Giovanni Ranieri, CEO of Next Geosolutions.
The companies will combine their expertise to design USVs optimized for open-sea operations, environmental monitoring, inspection, and offshore infrastructure checks. They will evolve IDS’s SAND (Surface Advanced Naval Drone) project and create new USVs tailored to offshore market needs.
The USVs will integrate automation, energy-efficient solutions, and advanced technologies. Next Geosolutions will deploy the vehicles first, followed by international market introduction.
Working groups will develop solutions to make offshore operations more flexible and sustainable. IDS contributes technological expertise, while Next Geosolutions provides applied knowledge in marine surveys. The USVs will work alongside traditional naval units using dedicated launch and recovery systems.
The partnership may also produce custom USVs with modular systems and payloads for offshore surveys.
Fincantieri strengthens its position in autonomous and robotic maritime systems. The initiative supports innovation in the blue economy and energy transition.
Pierroberto Folgiero, Fincantieri CEO, said: “This MoU advances integrated underwater solutions for offshore operators. IDS helps us accelerate technology and expertise in this field.”
Giovanni Ranieri, Next Geosolutions CEO, added: “USVs will improve efficiency, cut costs, and reduce environmental impact. This collaboration drives sustainable offshore operations.”
