A UK battery producer is diving into the ocean expertise sector with a multi-million-pound partnership that would rework how underwater autos function in among the world’s most difficult environments.
Volklec has joined forces with offshore expertise specialist Walker Subsea to develop the D-SEA underwater battery pack, a system designed to free remotely operated autos from their reliance on floor help ships. The collaboration marks a big enlargement for the British producer into a world underwater development and protection market value $5.9 billion.
The breakthrough addresses a basic constraint in subsea operations. At the moment’s remotely operated autos rely upon tethered energy connections to help vessels, limiting their vary and operational flexibility. The D-SEA system will present onboard power storage utilizing Volklec’s 21700-5000mAh power cells, enabling higher autonomy for autos engaged on offshore renewable power initiatives and defending vital ocean infrastructure.
“We’re now serving to Walker Subsea create a novel and highly effective underwater power storage gadget with a spread of functions for the marine and defence sectors,” mentioned Junaid Mujaver, chief working officer at Volklec. The partnership represents considered one of a number of initiatives at present within the firm’s pipeline because it expands throughout a number of high-value sectors.
For Walker Subsea, deciding on a British companion mirrored strategic priorities past technical specs. The Newcastle-based agency prioritized UK manufacturing to strengthen provide chain resilience, scale back environmental affect, and construct sovereign capabilities in underwater protection programs.
“It was vital for us to make use of a UK-based producer for sustainability, provide chain de-risking and to allow sovereign functionality,” mentioned Vahid Walker, technical director at Walker Subsea. He characterised D-SEA as a gap transfer in a broader imaginative and prescient towards absolutely wi-fi underwater transport capabilities.
The challenge has progressed quickly due to each corporations’ experience and nimble improvement method. Underwater trials are scheduled for the primary quarter of 2026, bringing the first-to-market answer nearer to business actuality.
Walker Subsea blends automotive expertise with deep-sea engineering to create superior power storage and energy supply programs. The corporate’s product vary, together with A-Flux and the forthcoming D-SEA, allows submersibles to journey farther and quicker with enhanced reliability.
The collaboration highlights how specialised battery expertise is proving important past conventional electrical car functions. Volklec manufactures superior lithium-ion cells for automotive, aerospace, marine and off-highway sectors, all demanding power storage options able to performing in excessive circumstances.
