Ocean Data Collection Industry Disruption: Navigating the Shift
Photos are from Reach Subsea and Ocean Infinity websites.

Ocean Data Collection Industry Disruption: Navigating the Shift

The subsea industry is poised for a significant transformation, driven by the rise of innovative solutions like Reach Subsea's Reach Remote and Ocean Infinity's Armada Fleet. These groundbreaking technologies are disrupting traditional approaches to ocean data collection and offshore operations, reshaping client expectations with a focus on cost efficiency, sustainability, and operational precision.

A Clash of Models: Specialisation vs. Versatility

The Reach Remote and Armada fleets offer two distinct approaches to subsea operations:

  • Reach Remote delivers specialised, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solutions, excelling in focused markets such as inspection, maintenance, and repair.
  • The Armada Fleet, with its larger multipurpose vessels, targets expansive offshore projects, offering scalability and versatility for diverse client needs.

This evolution raises a critical question for the industry: What opportunities exist in-between these two models, and how can we harness them?

Implications for Legacy Contractors

For traditional players in the subsea industry, these developments present both challenges and opportunities:

  • Adapt or Fall Behind: To stay competitive, legacy contractors must embrace advanced technologies, such as autonomous systems and hybrid propulsion.
  • Strategic Positioning: Decide whether to focus on niche markets with specialised offerings or expand capabilities to cater to large-scale, versatile operations.
  • Sustainability Drives Innovation: As environmental concerns dominate client priorities, adopting low-emission solutions is now a competitive necessity.

The Path Forward

This disruption is more than a technological shift; it's a redefinition of what clients expect from the ocean data collection industry. Success will belong to those who innovate, adapt, and align with the emerging priorities of agility, sustainability, and precision.

Join the Conversation

What opportunities do you see in the space between Reach Remote’s specialisation and Armada’s versatility? How do you think traditional contractors can evolve to thrive in this new landscape?

Fedor Ester

Director & co-founder DEMCON Unmanned Systems

1 个月

Many different flavors and sizes exist in the USV landscape. It al depend on the purpose and application. If you can tailor something to a specific operation you are able to optimize for space and efficiency resulting in smaller platforms if you need a Swiss army knife on the water you will end up with larger vessel. There is no good or bad in this case I believe.

回复
David Duncan

Offshore Supervisor

2 个月

Im sure the bottom one was berthed at Montrose last week

Data collection, for site characterisation purposes or inspection is different from intervention, where often intermediate or workclass ROV is required. Deep geotech is another type of discipline that requires specific vessels where there are limitations for shore based operational control. XOCEAN seems to focus on swarms of multiple USV for multi-sensor site characterisation purposes, where Reach seems to focus more on E-ROV for inspection. Fugro does both USV based with quite different USV vehicles as well as LLAUV. Ocean Infinity are surely innovative, but it seems a bit difficult to understand the business model (eg fleet size). It is likely that pure sensor-based vessel data collection will develop further to fully remote controlled models whereas anything that has to with intervention will not in the medium or even longer term.

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