Fincantieri snaps up four firms to build out its underwater arm
Italian group folds survey, robotics and subsea comms specialists into its underwater hub
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has bought four companies in a push to expand its underwater technology business, bringing in expertise across seabed survey, robotics and subsea communications.
The group acquired Next Geosolutions, known as NextGeo, a specialist in marine survey, geoscience and offshore construction support, alongside three Italian scale-ups: WSense in underwater communications, Graal Tech in autonomous underwater and surface vehicles, and Defcomm in the so-called Internet of Underwater Things. The additions bring Fincantieri's underwater hub to eight fully integrated companies.
The plan is to knit the pieces together, pairing NextGeo's activities with vessels built by Fincantieri's Vard unit and Remazel launch-and-recovery equipment to deploy Graal Tech's drones, connected through WSense's communications. The segment generated 667m euros of revenue in 2025, about 6.7% of the group total, and pro forma revenue is expected to top 1.1bn euros in 2026 with EBITDA of around 220m euros, reaching targets set for 2030 four years ahead of schedule. The deals are also expected to lift 2026 pro forma net profit above 60m euros.
Chief executive Pierroberto Folgiero said the moves would create an international champion in the underwater domain, a field Fincantieri frames as dual-use, spanning both defence and commercial work.
