Eni and Fincantieri Partner for Subsea Infrastructure Monitoring

Eni S.p.A and Fincantieri, through its subsidiary IDS – Ingegneria dei Sistemi, have signed a strategic agreement concerning Clean Sea, Eni’s proprietary underwater robotic technology. The cooperation focuses on deploying the system for monitoring marine ecosystems, checking subsea infrastructure integrity, and supporting offshore energy transition initiatives.

Context of the Cooperation
Operating and maintaining subsea infrastructure presents severe physical and environmental challenges, particularly within complex offshore settings and emerging application areas like marine Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) projects. Managing these environments requires sophisticated data acquisition, advanced sensing, and robust command-and-control capabilities that single energy companies or hardware developers cannot easily scale independently.

To accelerate the industrialization and market deployment of this asset, cooperation was required to combine complementary domain expertise. Eni contributes its proprietary subsea exploration technology and operational deployment requirements. Fincantieri, via IDS, brings specialized experience in developing unmanned underwater systems, command-and-control software, and advanced radar and sensor technologies. The partnership allows Eni to enhance the innovation potential of its technology through a qualified operator, while strengthening Fincantieri’s footprint in the underwater domain and expanding the role of its Underwater Technology Hub as a coordinating center for critical subsea infrastructure protection.

Technical Solution and Responsibilities
The technological solution centers on Clean Sea, an underwater robotic platform built on a hybrid Remotely Operated Vehicle and Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (ROV/AUV) architecture. Responsibilities under the global strategic agreement are structured as follows:

At a system level, the hybrid architecture allows Clean Sea to function under remote control from a surface support vessel or execute missions in fully autonomous mode. The platform incorporates interchangeable modular payloads designated as "e-pods." These e-pods integrate specialized instruments and sensors tailored for distinct inspection tasks, allowing the system to perform water sampling, detailed visual analysis, and 3D acoustic reconstructions. Furthermore, the technology will be integrated directly with various autonomous platforms and unmanned systems developed across the Fincantieri Group to optimize data processing and ensure scalable applications across variable operational volumes.

Deployment or Implementation
The implementation strategy focuses on utilizing the licensed technology to support both Eni's internal operations and the requirements of third-party customers across broader national and international markets. Initial field activities will target underwater inspection tasks and environmental monitoring for offshore market objectives, with a specific focus on marine Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) sites.

Following this initial deployment phase, Eni and IDS are structured to collaborate on the subsequent technological evolution of the platform. This phase will involve developing complementary innovative solutions to expand into new use cases and scale up civil, defense, and dual-use capabilities overseen by Fincantieri's Underwater Technology Hub.

Edited by Romila DSilva, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.