Saipem joins collaboration to develop autonomous subsea craft

Italian offshore engineering and construction specialist Saipem and compatriot shipbuilder Fincantieri have entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to evaluate commercial and industrial opportunities for cooperation in the field of autonomous subsea vehicles and their integration with surface and underwater units.

The agreement aims to enable the two companies to participate in major programmes in both local and international markets in the area of surveillance and control of critical underwater infrastructure and rescue activities, through the use of specific complementary technologies.

The collaboration involves the integration of surface vessels and submarines built by Fincantieri with the drone development programme developed by Sonsub, Saipem’s subsea technologies and solutions development arm.

Saipem has prior experience in autonomous subsea vehicles, having qualified and commercialised such craft for intervention and inspection activities at depths of up to 3,000 metres. Designed and industrialised between Marghera and Trieste, the craft have already been deployed for the control and maintenance of underwater infrastructure in the offshore energy market at the service of major energy companies.