Key points
- Eco Minerals has procured a Kongsberg HUGIN Superior autonomous underwater vehicle through its wholly owned subsidiary Deep Sea Vision LLC.
- The AUV is rated to 6,000 metres and will support offshore survey services and the company’s Pacific critical mineral exploration.
- The vehicle will also be available for commercial charter in the Pacific region.
- CEO Tony Romeo said the acquisition expands technical capability and access to high-resolution subsea data.
Acquisition of 6,000m-rated HUGIN Superior AUV expands deep-ocean survey capabilities and supports critical mineral exploration initiatives
Investment reinforces the Company’s position as a leading provider of high-resolution subsea data and offshore survey services
MOUNT PLEASANT, SC / ACCESS Newswire / August 10, 2026 / Eco Minerals, Inc. (“Eco Minerals” or the “Company”), an American company advancing U.S. critical minerals independence through the responsible exploration and development of subsea mineral resources, today announced the procurement of a Kongsberg HUGIN Superior Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (“AUV”) through its wholly owned subsidiary, Deep Sea Vision LLC (“DSV”). The HUGIN Superior is a state-of-the-art system capable of operating at depths of up to 6,000 meters and will support DSV’s offshore survey services.
The addition of the HUGIN Superior significantly expands the Company’s deep-ocean survey capability and represents an important step in scaling its offshore data acquisition platform. The investment is aligned with increasing demand for high-resolution subsea mapping and survey services, driven in part by Eco Minerals’ ongoing critical mineral exploration activities in the Pacific Ocean.
Operating in some of the most demanding offshore environments globally, Eco Minerals provides responsible ocean exploration and commercial survey services to a broad range of clients. The Company has maintained a long-standing collaboration with Kongsberg Discovery, working to enhance vehicle performance, integrate specialized equipment, and optimize overall system capability.
In addition to supporting Eco Minerals’ critical mineral exploration efforts, the HUGIN Superior will be available for commercial charter in the Pacific region. Together, DSV and Eco Minerals provide an integrated capability spanning early-stage mapping and data collection through advanced offshore survey operations, supporting the broader development of subsea mineral resources.
Management Commentary
Tony Romeo, Chief Executive Officer of Eco Minerals, commented: “The addition of the HUGIN Superior represents a meaningful step forward in expanding our technical capabilities and advancing our offshore exploration platform. This is one of the most advanced autonomous underwater vehicles available today, and its depth rating, sensor suite, and reliability position us to operate more effectively in complex deep-sea environments.
“We have made a deliberate effort to build a differentiated, high-performance survey capability through Deep Sea Vision, and this acquisition reflects that focus. As we continue to advance our critical minerals strategy, access to high-quality, high-resolution subsea data will be increasingly important. The HUGIN platform, combined with our team’s experience and ongoing collaboration with Kongsberg, enhances our ability to execute efficiently and at scale,” concluded Mr. Romeo.
About Eco Minerals, Inc.
Eco Minerals, Inc. (formerly Deep Sea Rare Minerals, Inc.) is an American company advancing U.S. critical minerals independence through the responsible exploration and development of subsea mineral resources. The Company has established NOAA filing priority with respect to approximately 148,087 square kilometers in the CCZ and Western Pacific near Guam – areas containing polymetallic nodules with nickel, cobalt, and other metals relevant to U.S. energy security, defense, and advanced manufacturing. On March 26, 2026, NOAA notified Eco Minerals that its exploration license application was in full compliance with applicable submission requirements; that determination is procedural only and does not constitute approval of the application or guarantee issuance of any license or permit. Eco Minerals has completed Pre-FEED and FEED-stage evaluation work for its proposed nodule collection system, which remains preliminary and does not establish a final system design, technical feasibility, economic viability or commercial readiness.
