Fugro has secured a €150 million unsecured financing facility from the European Investment Bank to develop and deploy uncrewed surface vessels. The Dutch geo-data company announced the agreement on October 14, supporting a phased expansion of remote marine surveying.
The EIB says the financing enables deployment of up to 25 medium-sized, long-range vessels. Their work includes seabed surveys, offshore-site assessments and infrastructure monitoring, with underwater robots transmitting subsea data to remote operations centers.
The facility covers eligible costs incurred between January 2025 and December 2031, with individual drawings carrying maturities of up to 10 years. It is dedicated debt financing, rather than an announcement that all 25 vessels have already been built or ordered.
The EIB says Fugro’s USVs can reduce fuel consumption by up to 90% compared with traditional survey vessels. The program also supports remote sensing and underwater robotics research, linking the fleet expansion to offshore wind, subsea cables and other marine infrastructure.
RobotsBeat’s coverage of the Greenland expedition shows another application for marine robots: collecting measurements around glaciers. Fugro’s financing addresses a different commercial task, where vessel availability, data quality and dependable remote operations must support repeatable survey services.
Disclaimer: RobotsBeat is an independent media brand owned and operated by NuvexMedia LLC, publishing news, research, and insights on artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, automation, and related industries. NuvexMedia LLC invests in and collaborates with companies across the AI, Robotics, technology, software, and digital innovation sectors. These relationships do not influence RobotsBeat's editorial coverage, and the publication maintains full editorial independence to provide accurate, timely, and objective information. © 2026 NuvexMedia LLC. All rights reserved. This content is for informational purposes only and should not be considered legal, tax, investment, financial, or other professional advice.
