In a groundbreaking presentation at ADIPEC 2025 held in Abu Dhabi, Torbjørn Bratland, machine learning lead at DeepOcean, showcased the company’s pioneering efforts in autonomous subsea operations, positioning the firm at the forefront of sustainable and intelligent ocean engineering.
Bratland emphasised DeepOcean’s transition to remotely operated and autonomous vessels, highlighting dramatic efficiency and environmental improvements.
“We control this remotely from a remote operation center, and we can control it from our base, anywhere in Europe,” he explained.
This capability eliminates the need for human presence on vessels, resulting in up to a 90% reduction in CO2 emissions, which is a significant step toward greener marine operations and reduced risk for personnel.
One of the most complex aspects of subsea work, Bratland noted, is the safe launch and recovery of expensive remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in often unpredictable ocean conditions.
To mitigate risk, DeepOcean has deployed a suite of machine learning and AI solutions that synthesise real-time data from vessels, ROVs, and environmental sensors.
AI taking full control
Bratland clarified, “When we don’t have people on board, we have to use machine learning and AI to determine if we can launch and when we can launch. But we want to be able to explain why we can’t launch now, and how do we correct that?”
The company is pushing boundaries further by developing autonomous path generation for ROVs that function deep underwater, beyond the reach of GPS.
Bratland described how digital twin technology currently aids path creation but expressed the ambition for AI systems to take full control: mapping, navigating, and adjusting to subsea challenges in real time.
Machine vision is being integrated, enabling ROVs to identify and analyse inspection points, reacting dynamically to new discoveries beneath the ocean’s surface.
Bratland’s passion for innovation was clear as he concluded, “I think this is really cool. I think we’re very lucky to be able to have these problems to work with, and to have all the great collaborators to solve these problems.”
With these initiatives, DeepOcean is not only advancing its technological leadership but also setting a new sustainability benchmark for the offshore industry, delivering safer, smarter, and greener solutions for the future of subsea operations.
DeepOcean’s AI-Driven future unveiled at ADIPEC 2025
Bratland emphasised DeepOcean’s transition to remotely operated and autonomous vessels
