Posted on September 7, 2023
Greensea Systems, the parent company of hull-cleaning firm Armach Robotics and surf-zone specialist Bayonet Ocean Vehicles, has merged all of its firms into a new business entity with a new name – Greensea IQ.
“The three arms of Greensea IQ collectively embody the overarching idea of maximizing the capabilities of ocean robotics. This empowers us to explore deeper into the world’s oceans, enhancing both persistence and reach, all while ensuring efficiency, safety, and productivity,” said CEO Ben Kinnaman in a statement.
Kinnaman founded Greensea Systems in 2006 to develop technology for robotic underwater operations. The primary initial focus was the development of the OPENSEA Platform, a marine software platform with interfaces and utilities for operating ROVs and AUVs. This central set of software “building blocks” is widely used in offshore, scientific research and naval applications of marine robotics.
OPENSEA also undergirds two of Greensea’s most recent projects. In 2021, building on investments in the hardware side of marine robotics, Greensea launched subsidiary Armach Robotics. Armach provides a robotic hull cleaning system for shipowners; going forward, it will operate under the newly-formed Greensea IQ brand, and will provide a “robot as a service” product for hull cleaning, which will be called “EverClean.” The small robot is designed to clean gently, avoid overworking bottom coatings, and survey the hull condition as it moves along.
The newest member of the Greensea IQ stable is Bayonet Ocean Vehicles. In 2022, Greensea acquired the IP and inventory of C-2 Innovations, a crawling robot manufacturer specializing in devices for surf zone applications, like amphibious warfare, minehunting and sensor placement. C-2’s robots were originally developed to operate with Greensea’s software platform, and they were quickly integrated into Greensea’s autonomy portfolio. The devices were rebranded and launched to the market as the Bayonet 150, Bayonet 250, and Bayonet 350 vehicles. The devices have secured several defense contracts for sensor placement and EOD mission sets. A commercial variant of the crawler is targeted at wind farm applications and coastal dredging support.
