Stimulating the so-called “blue economy” might not be a new idea but the geopolitical climate makes understanding, protecting and, yes, monetising ocean resources more important than ever. Indeed, attacks on underwater infrastructure, notably the Nord Stream explosion in September 2022, have upped the ante.
Seafuture, a biennial trade show in La Spezia, a coastal city in Italy’s Liguria region, brings together civilian and military outfits to focus on the great blue yonder. The show’s growth is a testament to the uptick in interest in this field: when the event debuted in 2009, it hosted about 40 companies; at the 2025 edition, it welcomed 370. An estimated 80 per cent of the world’s oceans remains unexplored and there are clearly business opportunities for those navigating and defending the aquatic realm.
(Illustration: Gwendal Le Bec)
“Often the sea is seen as a barrier,” says Cristiana Pagni, the president of Italian Blue Growth. “But we want it to be a bridge that unites.” Pagni’s company organises the conference based on the idea that the sea is not only a means to connect people but a “motor of economic development” that could and should be capitalised on. Given that visiting international naval delegations span countries from Tanzania to Mexico – and the show has attracted brands from India, the US and beyond – she might be on to something.
Defence heavy hitters such as MBDA, Leonardo, Fincantieri and Rheinmetall were all in attendance at the naval base this year. Pagni says that 80 per cent of the companies at the show service both civilian and military markets, with only 10 per cent dedicated solely to defence. Nonetheless, it’s the armed forces that are at the forefront of the blue economy, with their discoveries subsequently bobbing over to the private sector.
“Defence leads the industry in terms of adoption of technology,” says Martijn Wilbrink, business development manager for Europe at Kraken Robotics. Pagni agrees. “Military research results in innovations that are immediately transmitted to civilians,” she says. What’s not in doubt is the rising importance of the blue economy to both businesses and states. And, as host, Italy wants a piece of the action.
The 2025 Seafuture featured a prominent booth for Italy’s newly minted National Pole for the Underwater Dimension, which is based in La Spezia. By bringing together the event but also an ecosystem of SMEs, larger companies and research centres, Italy is seeking to develop underwater technologies and research, and give itself a competitive advantage for the sea change to come.
Three companies floating new ideas at Seafuture
1.
Italy’s Saipemshowed off its Innovator 2.0, a remote-controlled submersible craft for oil and gas exploration.
2.
US-basedEdgetechexhibited eBoss, which uses sonar for 3D imaging of the seabed. Nick Lawrence, its international business development director, jokes that it’s “an overnight sensation 20 years in the making”.
3.
Canada’sKraken Roboticsdemonstrated its Katfish-180, a towbody (an object towed behind a vessel) that can be used for everything from mine detection to critical infrastructure monitoring.
Monocle comment:
As geopolitical tensions and the effects of climate change put the spotlight on the sea, protecting (and policing) it should be on more people’s minds. The year ahead could be, well, sink or swim.
