Fugro, DTACT, and Ubotica launch AI platform to protect underwater infrastructure from threats

Why is the partnership between Fugro, DTACT, and Ubotica seen as a breakthrough in protecting underwater infrastructure?

Fugro, DTACT, and Ubotica have announced a strategic collaboration to develop an artificial intelligence-powered data fusion and intelligence platform aimed at enhancing the protection of critical subsea infrastructure. This trilateral partnership brings together Fugro’s advanced Geo-data capabilities, DTACT’s real-time data fusion expertise, and Ubotica’s AI-enhanced satellite vessel tracking systems to deliver a unified maritime awareness solution. Designed primarily for governmental security agencies, this platform targets the increasing threat landscape surrounding underwater pipelines, fiber-optic cables, and offshore energy assets.

With the initial roll-out planned across the North Sea and Baltic Sea regions—both highly strategic and geopolitically sensitive maritime zones—the joint initiative addresses national security priorities amid growing incidents of sabotage, espionage, and unauthorized maritime activity.

Fugro, the Netherlands-based Geo-data specialist, is contributing a vast array of autonomous survey and monitoring systems, including uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and aerial drones. These are centrally managed via remote operations centers for real-time tasking and data relay. According to Ivar de Josselin de Jong, Director of Strategy and Government Relations at Fugro’s Maritime Security and Surveillance business, this partnership allows Fugro to “integrate additional intelligence into our Geo-data, enabling information-driven operations for national security efforts.”

DTACT, a high-tech Dutch software firm, plays a central role in the architecture of the platform by applying real-time data fusion to combine Fugro’s nearshore and seabed insights with satellite-derived data from Ubotica and other public and proprietary feeds. Ubotica, an Irish AI space company, will feed high-resolution satellite-based maritime data using onboard edge-AI models that drastically reduce the latency of detecting vessel movement, drift patterns, and potential anomalies.

This multi-source, multi-layer platform will empower defense and civil authorities with the capability to detect, identify, and track suspicious marine activities in near real time—a critical factor for initiating timely interdiction and mitigation.

What strategic and technological gaps does this new space-to-seabed platform aim to fill for governments?

As the frequency of undersea infrastructure breaches and attempted sabotage has risen—particularly in sensitive transnational zones like the Baltic—government agencies have faced mounting pressure to move beyond fragmented monitoring systems. Traditional surveillance networks are often hampered by siloed operations, gaps in jurisdiction, and long latency in threat detection. This new platform addresses those limitations by offering an integrated intelligence pipeline from seabed to space.

Historically, subsea infrastructure monitoring has relied heavily on periodic seabed mapping, manual diver inspections, and acoustic surveillance. However, these approaches are resource-intensive, sporadic, and reactive. The new solution leverages continuous data flow from autonomous systems and satellites, improving situational awareness and actionable intelligence.

Ubotica CEO Fintan Buckley noted that real-time satellite intelligence “is transformative for maritime situational awareness,” allowing agencies to “secure critical underwater infrastructure well into the future.” By fusing wide-angle satellite views with highly granular seabed data and port activity feeds, the system enables authorities to build dynamic risk profiles and predictive threat models.

For governments in NATO-aligned geographies such as the North Sea and Baltic, the platform presents an operational leap. It aligns with broader military modernization programs and EU-funded initiatives on critical infrastructure protection, including maritime digital twins and AI-based threat response strategies.

How does each partner contribute to the architecture and intelligence fusion of the platform?

Fugro serves as the foundation of the surveillance ecosystem with its globally recognized leadership in Geo-data acquisition and analysis. Its sensor-laden uncrewed vehicles and remote operations centers deliver high-resolution mapping, hydrographic surveys, and environmental monitoring—data that is crucial for identifying seabed anomalies, construction disruptions, or potential tampering.

DTACT’s role is central to orchestration. By applying its data fusion engine, DTACT acts as the middleware layer, combining diverse streams including marine traffic AIS, sonar, satellite, acoustic, and port sensor data into a single intelligence view. According to DTACT CEO Sander Swinkels, this “synergy allows our platform to create a complete and unified picture vital for protecting subsea assets.”

Ubotica’s contribution lies in reducing the ‘data-to-insight’ gap in orbital imagery. Using on-satellite AI processing, Ubotica’s systems detect vessel positions, track movements, and monitor oceanic patterns with minimal delay. Unlike traditional satellite image providers that require ground-based processing and manual analysis, Ubotica’s AI-first model allows users to receive actionable alerts within minutes of image capture.

Together, the three entities have architected a plug-and-play intelligence framework that can interface with NATO command systems, civil coast guards, energy regulators, and port authorities. This modular approach allows rapid deployment across geographies without requiring entirely new IT infrastructure.

What institutional and market sentiment is emerging around dual-use maritime surveillance platforms?

Institutional sentiment has grown increasingly favorable toward dual-use infrastructure that spans both defense and civil monitoring objectives. As geopolitical tensions across Europe, the Arctic, and Indo-Pacific escalate, governments are revisiting how surveillance technologies can simultaneously support national security, environmental monitoring, and infrastructure resilience.

Analysts suggest that platforms like the Fugro–DTACT–Ubotica solution offer scalable alternatives to siloed legacy systems. In particular, investor interest is rising in maritime defense-tech partnerships that enable governments to avoid multibillion-dollar procurement cycles while achieving tactical readiness.

European Union funding channels such as the Horizon Europe and EDF (European Defence Fund) initiatives are also likely candidates to support further scale-up of this intelligence fusion solution. The integrated surveillance model is also drawing attention from port authorities, subsea telecom providers, and insurers, all of whom stand to benefit from enhanced situational awareness around high-value marine infrastructure.

What is the potential future roadmap for deployment, monetization, and broader industry integration?

The initial deployment will prioritize NATO and EU-aligned regions, particularly the North Sea and Baltic Sea—areas where subsea infrastructure density is high and recent disruptions have raised security concerns. Fugro and its partners are likely to focus on delivering turnkey solutions for governmental clients, bundled with training, remote operations support, and data governance protocols.

Institutional investors and private sector partners are closely watching for potential expansion into other strategic geographies such as the Eastern Mediterranean, Indo-Pacific, and Arctic waters, where critical pipelines and data cables remain vulnerable. Integration with existing threat intelligence platforms, cybersecurity command centers, and AI-based digital twins could create new monetization avenues via subscription-based intelligence services or pay-per-alert models.

Looking ahead, analysts anticipate the trio could explore partnerships with cloud hyperscalers and public safety agencies to extend the reach and scope of their monitoring capabilities. There is also strong alignment with ESG imperatives, particularly in ensuring continuity of clean energy supply via offshore wind farms and hydrogen corridors, which rely on safe subsea connectivity.

If this model proves effective, it could set a precedent for next-generation infrastructure security frameworks that combine space technology, AI, and real-time marine intelligence into a single pane of glass.