Nauticus Olympic Arm completes IKM Subsea’s all-electric ROV system

February 1, 2022, by Ajsa Habibic

Norway-based IKM Subsea has selected Nauticus Robotics’ fully electric work-class manipulator Olympic Arm for its subsea resident remotely operated vehicle (ROV) system.

The Olympic Arm is said to increase subsea reliability and capability while extending residency dive time. It also boasts the strength, weight and size characteristics of traditional work-class hydraulic arms without chronic maintenance needs.

Adam Parsons, Olympic Arm product manager at Nauticus Robotics, sees the shift from hydraulic to intelligent electric manipulators as an obvious and necessary next step in subsea operations technology that will provide greater confidence in more challenging and complex operations.

Additionally, the companies intend to implement the Nauticus Software Suite, which controls the Olympic Arm and introduces more advanced and intelligent ROV automation.

“The Olympic Arm from Nauticus Robotics is completing IKM Subsea’s all-electric platform”, said Øystein Stjern, executive vice president at IKM Gruppen. “It will aid us in reducing our environmental footprint while enabling the control of ROVs from shore with a reduced number of technicians offshore. Both will help increase our value proposition for our clients.”

Moreover, IKM Subsea’s customer Equinor is also assessing potential future opportunities to utilise Nauticus’ technology.

“We are looking forward to seeing the results of the implementation of the Arm on an existing ROV platform”, said Arne Rettedal, Equinor’s leading advisor of Subsea Intervention Systems.

“Equinor is focusing on technology that can contribute to reduced costs. The Olympic Arm from Nauticus and the RROV from IKM Subsea are both great examples of this. The combination of the two, and the things this might lead to in the future, are obviously exciting to be a part of.“