The National Oceanography Centre (NOC) has agreed a landmark partnership with Portugal's ARDITI, the Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation. The deal combines a €4.3 million transfer of advanced marine robotics with a long-term scientific collaboration in the North Atlantic.
Under the agreement, ARDITI has acquired two autosub long-range (ALR) autonomous underwater vehicles, designed and developed by the NOC in the UK. The deal, supported by the British Embassy in Lisbon, marks the first time that NOC has transferred ALR technology to a public research agency rather than through a commercial contract, establishing a new model for international partnerships and exports of UK marine technology.
Robots built for the deep
The two vehicles are rated for very different operating environments. The first, certified to depths of 1,500 metres, is set to support oceanographic and biogeochemical research. The second, rated to 6,000 metres, is intended for deep-sea mapping. Both are equipped with modular sensor systems, allowing them to collect data throughout the water column and across the seabed. They also run on an open-source operating system compatible with existing marine platforms. This enables rapid integration into ARDITI's existing research infrastructure, which includes uncrewed surface vessels and conventional research ships.
Operations will be coordinated through the Ocean Observatory of Madeira (OOM), with the aim of positioning the island as an international hub for deep-sea testing and research. The deep waters surrounding Madeira make it particularly a well suited to ultra-deep-sea scientific work.
A partnership built on science diplomacy
The collaboration has its roots in sustained UK and Portuguese engagement that began in 2019, and illustrates how science diplomacy can generate concrete outcomes for both parties. A marine research roundtable held in Lisbon in February 2025, convened ahead of the UN Ocean Conference during a port call by the Royal Research Ship Discovery, helped lay the groundwork for the formal agreement. The British Embassy subsequently marked the partnership with an event aboard Discovery in Madeira on 24 October, bringing together the Madeiran regional government, academic partners and the local British community to showcase UK scientific capability.
The partnership is supported by the Natural Environment Research Council, part of UK Research and Innovation, and includes safeguards restricting onward collaboration with states deemed to pose security risks. These measures are designed to protect UK interests and research integrity.
Through shared missions, technical exchange and joint planning, both partners stand to benefit from improved access to high-quality marine data, with broader implications for regional ocean governance and global understanding of deep-sea environments. For the UK, the agreement reinforces its reputation as a trusted leader in autonomous marine systems on the international stage.