Meet Our Members

The organisations with which we’re designing the future of marine technology

Our Marine Robotics Innovations Centre is home to a host of organisations at the forefront of ocean science and marine technology.

They each benefit from our world-class facilities, industry-leading research, and collaborative environment.

MRIC Strategic Partners & Members

  • Advanced Navigation is a world leader in AI robotics and navigation technologies. By leveraging capabilities in AI neural networks, their solutions deliver unparalleled capabilities and exceptional performance across land, air, sea and space applications. Their mission is to be the catalyst of the autonomy revolution.

    Advanced Navigation

  • ALSEAMAR is a subsidiary of the ALCEN group operating in the Naval and Maritime industries. The company provides its expertise to customers both in France and abroad, meeting national and international standards in Defense & Security, Research and Offshore Operations as well as in Oceanographic Studies.

    https://www.alseamar-alcen.com/

  • Autonomous Robotics is developing an autonomous underwater vehicle solution – Flying Nodes – to be deployed in swarms of up to 3,500 for assessing and measuring key data in depths of up to 3,000 metres.

    This groundbreaking technology will dramatically reduce the cost of obtaining accurate data in the key Environment, Defence and Offshore Energy sectors. Flying Nodes will disrupt these markets by offering commercial advantages in cost, time and/or higher data quality compared to existing technologies.

    https://autonomousroboticsltd.com

  • Blue Ocean Marine Tech Systems’ parent company, Blue Ocean Monitoring, was established with the vision of autonomous systems playing a leading role in the future of offshore operations. 

    They work with worldwide partners to maximise tactical advantages, minimise risks, increase efficiency and reduce environmental impact through the use of cutting edge autonomous technology.

    The solutions they’ve developed, enabled by autonomous underwater vehicles and matched by their innovative control systems, meet industry needs for low-cost, low-impact and persistent deployment of marine data collection systems.

    Blue Ocean Marine Tech Systems is working to drive data collection costs down with the added benefit of near real-time data delivery through a fleet of enhanced autonomous underwater vehicles.

    Blue Ocean Marine Tech Systems (blueoceanmts.com)

  • Blue Ocean Seismic Services is a UK company developing the world’s first autonomous, low-impact, subsea nodes to capture high-quality imaging (OBS) data from the ocean floor for the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects, offshore wind farms and oil and gas fields.

    These revolutionary nodes will radically reduce the carbon emissions, cost, time and safety risks associated with subsea exploration.

    Home - Blue Ocean Seismic Services

  • Branka Marine Robotics offers innovative and advanced marine robotic solutions and services, focusing on the design and manufacture of custom built multipurpose USVs and their remote operation centres for a variety of applications.

    The company has an extensive expertise in composite materials, remote sensoring and advanced marine communications.

    BRANKA l Smart is simple (brankasolutions.com)

  • Cellula Robotics Ltd. is a Canadian, privately owned company at the forefront of marine technology, specializing in advanced Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) systems.

    Headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia, with offices on the East Coast of Canada and the United States, Cellula employs over 80 professionals, including highly-skilled engineers, designers, and technicians.

    Cellula’s mission is to redefine underwater security using cutting-edge AUVs, transforming approaches in the defense, mineral exploration, and energy sectors. Their ground breaking hydrogen fuel cell-powered long-range AUVs contribute to a greener future.

    Cellula Robotics

  • Chelsea Technologies prides themselves on their deep engineering expertise, ingeniously applied to create the world’s most sensitive, accurate and reliable environmental monitoring sensors and systems for surveying the ocean and other aquatic systems.

    Chelsea Technologies

  • Established in 1938, Custom Power is a market leader in the design, manufacture and supply of rugged portable and industrial embedded computing, custom lithium battery packs, secure communication systems and antennas.  

    Their focus is on providing highly reliable technology for use in harsh environments, where failure is not an option.

    Over the years, they’ve developed a first-class reputation for providing solutions that precisely meet their customers’ operational demands. 

    Bespoke engineering is at the heart of their business. As a result, dedicated in-house teams support clients by designing, manufacturing and testing the most advanced range of products and systems tailored to their specific application requirements.

    Custom Power

  • De Courcy Alexander (DCA) works with business professionals to make them more productive and successful by enabling them to overcome barriers and release the potential in their organisation, and across the supply chain, to create economic, social and environmental wealth. DCA works with a diverse range of business types and sizes that all have a common attributes which include; a desire to “do the right thing” and make a real, lasting, and positive difference, innovative, and collaborative. DCA specialises in energy, circular economy/closed loop, and low carbon transport.

    De Courcy Alexander

  • Dendrityca are focussed on delivering ‘net zero robotics data solutions’ for energy and maritime industry applications.

  • Fareham College (CEMAST campus) joined the MRIC as a Future Skills Member, a new membership package aimed at encouraging the next generation of the maritime / engineering workforce, in May 2023.

    All Automotive, Engineering and Manufacturing programmes run by Fareham College are delivered at the CEMAST campus, located at the Daedalus airfield in Lee-on-the-Solent. As well as full time and part time students studying there, the CEMAST campus acts as the main learning centre for students in apprenticeship programmes with their partner companies including BAE Systems, GE Aviation, Coopervision, Halfords and South Western Railway, to name but a few. Since it opened in 2014, the CEMAST campus has become renowned as a pioneering state-of-the-art facility in terms of its industry-leading workshops, technology and equipment, providing students with a unique and industry-standard training environment.

    "Fareham College are delighted to have partnered with the National Oceanography Centre as part of the Innovation Centre's Future Skills Membership programme. The fast-changing environment across the Maritime Sector makes partnerships such as ours critical in not only identifying local skills shortages, but also engaging industry to help inform educational offerings to futureproof careers within the sector. Our specialists lecturing staff and Maritime Defence students have already benefited greatly from our partnership and we look forward to continuing the great work we are undertaking together".

    CEMAST Campus for Engineering - Fareham College

  • Since 1998, GRi Simulations Inc. (GRi) has been focused on delivering high-fidelity solutions for critical marine operations. From real-time visualization to integrated engineering technologies, GRi has the experience to enhance the safety, security and productivity of marine systems and operations.

    GRi SIMULATIONS

  • From starting up and raising capital, to incubation and acceleration, export development and investment attraction, Invest Nova Scotia helps businesses seize opportunities.

    Invest Nova Scotia

  • The MCA works to prevent the loss of life on the coast and at sea.

    It also produces legislation and guidance on maritime matters, and provides certification to seafarers.

    The MCA is an executive agency, sponsored by the Department for Transport.

    www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coastguard-agency

  • The National Subsea Centre (NSC)is the multi-million-pound Centre of Excellence for subsea research and technology development, delivered through partnership between Net Zero Technology Centre (NZTC) and Robert Gordon University (RGU), through the Aberdeen City Region Deal. The NSC is harnessing NZTC’s extensive industry network alongside the University’s academic expertise, research capability and facilities to establish a world-class research and development centre.   

    At present, the NSC is focused on four core research programmes: Transparent Ocean, Integrated Energy, Net Zero Operations and Cyber-Physical Systems. Team members work collaboratively to find innovative solutions to industry challenges in an environment where positive disruptive thinking is encouraged. All research undertaken at the NSC is driven by leaders with expertise spanning the fields of data science and AI, optimisation and machine learning, digital twins and simulation, machine vision and remote sensing, techno-economic modelling, smart materials and manufacturing, robotics, renewable energy systems and decarbonisation, marine ecosystems and sustainable environment modelling. 

    National Subsea Centre (NSC) 

  • Nortek designs, develops and manufactures acoustic underwater sensors that are used to measure motion in the marine environment.

    Their ocean technology is used in many applications, from understanding the impact of climate change to providing navigational assistance to underwater vehicles.

    Nortek

  • Ocean Business is the global meeting place for ocean science and technology professionals, enabling the connection of thousands of the industry’s brightest minds and the sharing of ideas to help define the future of ocean technology. 

    From cutting-edge surveying innovation to the latest marine autonomous systems, Ocean Business opens the door to hundreds of solutions to transform your business for the better.

    Ocean Business
  • Oil Spill Response Limited (OSRL) is the largest international, industry-funded cooperative that exists to respond to oil spills, wherever in the world they may occur, by providing preparedness, response and intervention services. 

    They’re wholly owned by most of the environmentally responsible oil and gas companies, and their membership represents the majority of global oil production. They currently employ 275 people across 12 locations around the world.

    www.oilspillresponse.com

  • Online Oceans designs, builds and operates cutting-edge uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) that unlock the Oceans data.

    Online Oceans

  • Planet Ocean represents some of the world’s leading scientific instrument manufacturers, and makes available the very best from each of their specialist areas of expertise. 

    They’re also able to provide bespoke and specialist systems.

    “The Marine Robotics Innovation Centre at NOC has been fundamental to the development of ecoSUB AUVs. The centre provides an excellent environment that facilitates collaboration between Planet Ocean and National Oceanography Centre engineers. We regularly benefit from access to a wide range of stakeholders, project and funding opportunities, all of which have informed and supported our R&D effort.”

    Planet Ocean

  • PolyGone Systems develop novel systems for removing microplastic pollutants from waterways. In response to the looming threat of microplastics as an aquatic pollutant, their team designed and developed an affordable, portable, and environmentally friendly biomimetic technology explicitly for the sequestration of aquatic microplastic debris. The microplastic filtration device, the Plastic Hunter, was designed to work in a wide array of water bodies and utilises their proprietary ‘Artificial Root’ filter to entrap microplastic debris. They aim hope to deploy the Plastic Hunter devices in both open water channels, such as rivers, reservoirs, and streams, and industrial wastewater effluent channels, as a means to monitor microplastic levels and remove excessive microplastic contaminants.

    polygonesystems.com

  • With more than fifteen years of experience in the field, Robosys Automation is a leading provider of autonomous control platforms for the maritime sector.

    Whether you’re looking to augment the crew of a conventional ship, upgrade your fleet to ‘Smart Ships’ or design and build a state-of-the-art Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV), Robosys has the experience and the technology to unleash your full potential.

    They use cutting-edge artificial intelligence to provide scalable levels of autonomy to existing and new-build vessels.  They also enjoy excellent links with leading equipment manufacturers, offering sophisticated control solutions for smart bridge systems, machinery and sensors.

    Robosys – Autonomous marine solutions

  • RS Aqua help ocean scientists and engineers explore further and discover more by providing powerful technologies and unparalleled expertise.

    Their goals are to enable ground-breaking science, deliver long-term customer success and contribute towards the blue economy. Scientific and technical excellence, complete support and sustainability are at the heart of everything they do.

    RS Aqua

  • SBG Systems are a leading manufacturer of inertial measurement systems, offering a wide range of solutions from miniature to high accuracy.

    Combined with state-of-the-art calibration techniques and advanced embedded algorithms, their products are ideal solutions for industrial, defense and research projects such as unmanned vehicle guidance, surveying applications, antenna tracking and camera stabilization.

    SBG Systems

  • SeaBot Maritime uses pioneering and innovative approaches to bring people and technology together, with a particular focus on the shift to automation; providing change management, elearning and assurance, often ahead of regulatory mandate.

    SeaBot Maritime

  • The Society of Maritime Industries (SMI) is the trade association for the UK’s maritime engineering, science and technology community.

    It enables maritime organisations of all types and sizes to thrive in various ways, including annual conferences, overseas events and trade missions. 

    It enables its members to raise their profiles and enjoy meaningful collaborations, providing business and networking opportunities throughout the year.

    As a trusted advisor to the UK government, The SMI looks to create new momentum for its members, and progress for the industry as a whole. It has a unique perspective on how to create new levels of maritime innovation within its own diverse member community and beyond.

    Society of Maritime Industries (SMI) is the voice of the UK’s maritime industry
  • The Solent Maritime Enterprise Zone (Solent MEZ), established December 2019, is an umbrella organisation comprising a consortium of the Royal Navy, industry (including small- and medium-sized enterprises), government and academia working collaboratively in creating a centre of excellence for maritime research, innovation, education, skills and training. 

    The Solent MEZ consortium connects networks regionally and nationally, collaborating on key maritime initiatives to support the maritime sector in its broadest sense. Through an enterprise approach, it partners with other regions, maritime clusters and cross-sectors to support maritime businesses and institutions.

    With the mantra ‘Connect. Collaborate. Deliver.’, the Solent MEZ optimises the enterprise approach to tackle key maritime issues, and its ‘Connected and Autonomous Maritime’ initiative capitalises on this to enable cross-sector, cross-region collaboration supported by the Catapult network.  

    This initiative will benefit from the Solent’s strengths in marine autonomy, robotics, innovative engineering solutions, advanced manufacturing and smart port initiatives.

    Solent Maritime Enterprise Zone
  • Sonardyne  researches, designs, engineers, builds, proposes and supports technologies that enable their customers to discover, navigate, measure, detect and communicate in the toughest underwater environments on Earth.

    They’ve been developing the technologies to work in rivers, harbours, shorelines, waterways and oceans for over fifty years.

    Sonardyne | Underwater technology and engineering services
  • Stehr Consulting Ltd brings together a diverse range of experience and capability to meet client needs. This cutting edge consultancy’s vision is to “change the world by unlocking the potential of innovative technology” and is on a focused mission “to bring together likeminded, passionate and talented individuals, to solve complex technical challenges for its clients, that benefit society”.

    Their offer and services are centred around three core themes: Decarbonisation; Digitalisation and Disruption. Stehr Consulting has a strong pedigree in the maritime space, but importantly it remains sector agnostic. Its Director and Principal Consultant Ashley Stehr has previously helped the UK government develop maritime decarbonisation technology policy and also the regulatory response required to safely enable emerging novel technologies. Examples of the types of vital support it provides its customers range from Strategic Technical Expert Advisory Services through to more detailed Regulatory/Certification Support (specifically for innovative technologies).

    The skills and experience Stehr Consulting Ltd can bring to bear in this space are unique. They bring together blended project teams, drawing on diverse skills and experience, allowing them to bring the right capability and capacity at the best value to achieve the desired outcomes. This includes blending experience from other sectors (core systems/safety engineering, safety of autonomous systems and software assurance) and combining it with a deep understanding and awareness of the maritime context (particularly when it comes to the approaches being adopted to regulate innovative technologies in the sector).

  • Subsea 7’s offshore operations span five decades, having successfully completed over a thousand projects. 

    Working in all water depths across all energy hubs, their engineering expertise, alliances and specialist technologies enable them to engage early so their multi-disciplinary teams can design and deliver the solutions their clients want.

    They have a strong track record of safe and reliable delivery, and their reputation as a collaborative service provider in long-lasting client relationships makes them one of the most trusted contractors in their markets, which include oil and gas and renewable energy.

    Subsea7
  • Subsea Testing and Evaluation (UK) Ltd have world-class facilities and a unique testing environment.

  • In a world that’s increasingly fast-moving and unpredictable, Thales’ clients approach them with big ambitions: to make life better, and to keep them safer.

    Combining uniquely diverse expertise, talents and cultures, Thales’ architects design and deliver extraordinary high-tech solutions – solutions that make tomorrow possible today.

    From the bottom of the oceans to the depths of space and cyberspace, they help their customers think smarter and act faster, mastering ever greater complexity and every decisive moment along the way.

    “Completing our second full year as a member of the NOC Innovation Centre partnership, we find within this openly proactive business cohort every opportunity to rub shoulders with associated marine industry innovators, developers, and operators, including current and future business partners. Fully supporting the ethos of this partnership we have embraced the cooperative allegiance, supported development aspirations, and integrated well within this centre of Marine Scientific, Academic and Industrial expertise. Thales are set to continue for the foreseeable future and are proud to be a member of this valuable teaming community.”

    Thales
  • The Metals Company is an explorer of lower-impact battery metals from seafloor polymetallic nodules, on a dual mission: 

    1.  Supply metals for the clean energy transition with the least possible negative environmental and social impact
    2. Accelerate the transition to a circular metal economy.

    The Company, through its subsidiaries, holds exploration and commercial rights to three polymetallic nodule contract areas in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean regulated by the International Seabed Authority and sponsored by the governments of Nauru, Kiribati and the Kingdom of Tonga.

    The Metals Company

  • Valeport designs and manufactures instrumentation for the oceanographic, hydrographic and hydrometric communities, with a worldwide customer base. Their underwater sensors and profilers are used for environmental monitoring, water survey, energy, dredging, civil engineering and scientific research.

    Valeport

  • The Watermark Consultancy is a niche and agile maritime PR, marketing, and engagement agency, proven in helping organisations achieve sector reach and global growth.

    From strategic planning, to creating and launching a new brand or product, to maximising publicity and stakeholder engagement, Watermark’s customers achieve unique solutions and positive outcomes, whether an innovative start-up or generational multinational. In recent years, the Watermark team has also been involved in a host of longstanding projects spanning NextGen maritime, smartshipping, and maritime autonomy, all combined with a focus on global NetZero ambitions, which mirrors the Marine Robotics Innovations Centre’s tenants’ own goals.

    Hannah comments, “I am delighted that Watermark is a member of the MRIC. Having worked closely with the MRIC team this past year with another Innovations Centre member, and now supplying supporting to other clients at the MRIC, it seemed a natural fit for Watermark to be based here.

    Watermark 360

  • Wight Ocean provides customers with confidential advice on setting requirements, underwater technology selection, marine robotics solutions, systems and sensors. 

    They support naval defence, governmental, commercial and research organisations.

    wightocean.com - Marine, Robotics

  • W•SENSE is a deep-tech company, born as a spinoff of Sapienza University in Rome, specialising in underwater monitoring and communication systems based on patented technologies that have pioneered the Internet of Underwater Things (IoUT).

    W•SENSE’s technologies are at the forefront of underwater wireless networking, enabling multi-modal secure wireless communications and networking among submerged and surface sensing and robotic platforms.

    W•SENSE

MRIC Affiliate Partners & Members

  • Atlas Electronik UK are a high-tech maritime enterprise with German roots and a global footprint. 

    The know-how and expertise of their skilled workforce in the fields of hydroacoustics, sensor engineering and information technology have made them the preferred supplier to numerous navies and civilian customers worldwide. 

    They’re capable of integrating different kinds and makes of equipment into a system-of-systems architecture, and mastering the entire functional chain from sensor to shooter. 

    As a result, they can provide the users of their systems with precise decision criteria. Every day, they work on expanding their stock of knowledge, applying this know-how to the benefit of their customers.

    ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK | ATLAS ELEKTRONIK UK (atlas-elektronik.com)

  • BAE Systems provide some of the advanced and technology-led defence, aerospace and security solutions. 

    They have a performance- and values-driven culture, and specialise in developing, engineering, manufacturing and supporting products and systems that deliver military capability, protect national security and keep critical information and infrastructure secure.

    BAE Systems

Completing our second full year as a member of the NOC Innovation Centre partnership, we find within this openly proactive business cohort every opportunity to rub shoulders with associated marine industry innovators, developers, and operators, including current and future business partners.

Thales

An MRIC partner

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