Italian shipbuilding and defense group Fincantieri has bolstered its underwater capabilities with four acquisitions, according to Splash247. The company acquired Next Geosolutions, WSense, Graal Tech, and Defcomm, enhancing its position in a segment increasingly central to security, energy, and critical infrastructure development.
Acquisition Details and Portfolio Overview
Next Geosolutions is described as one of the leading international players in marine survey and geoscience services, as well as offshore construction support services, according to Splash247. The other three targets are Italian high-tech scale-ups:
- WSense: specializes in underwater communications and the Internet of Underwater Things.
- Graal Tech: focuses on autonomous underwater and surface vehicles.
- Defcomm: also active in autonomous underwater and surface vehicles.
The four companies will be integrated into Fincantieri's underwater technological hub. The hub is set to evolve into an international underwater operator comprising eight companies, fully vertically integrated, the report said.
Strategic Integration and Synergies
Fincantieri outlined a clear synergy model across the acquired assets. According to Splash247, NextGeo's activities will be fully integrated with Vard-built work vessels equipped with Remazel’s launch-and-recovery systems. These vessels will deploy and retrieve Graal Tech’s drones, which carry out seabed surveys and are connected via underwater communication systems developed by WSense.
“The acquisitions announced today mark a historic transformation for Fincantieri that creates an international champion in the underwater domain, enabled by full integration across the value chain of technologies, capabilities and operational expertise,” said Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and managing director of Fincantieri.
Financial Impact and Accelerated Targets
The underwater segment generated €667m in revenues in 2025, accounting for 6.7% of the company’s total revenues, according to Splash247. On a 2026 pro forma basis, the combined business is expected to deliver:
| Metric | 2025 Actual | 2026 Pro Forma (Post-Acquisition) |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue | €667m | >€1.1bn |
| EBITDA | Not disclosed | ~€220m |
| Net profit (group) | Not disclosed | >€60m |
Splash247 reported that these pro forma figures achieve the underwater revenue and EBITDA targets set for 2030 in the 2026–2030 business plan, four years ahead of schedule.
Dual-Use Nature and Market Implications
A distinctive feature of the transaction is its marked dual-use nature, according to the source. The integrated technologies and capabilities enable a synergistic response to the needs of both defense and commercial markets. This positioning is expected to be a key differentiator as underwater capabilities become increasingly important for naval operations, offshore energy, and subsea infrastructure.
Fincantieri’s move reflects a broader industry consolidation trend in the maritime technology space, where companies are seeking full vertical integration to capture value across surveys, robotics, communications, and platform integration. The creation of an eight-company hub positions Fincantieri as a one-stop provider for underwater services, from geophysical surveys to autonomous vehicle operations.
The next milestone will be the integration process and execution of the 2026 pro forma revenue and EBITDA targets, with investors likely to monitor the hub's contribution to Fincantieri's consolidated financials in upcoming quarterly reports.
Sources:
