Subseatechnology — Trading Ideas on TradingView

Can Robots Win America's Deep-Sea Mineral Race?Nauticus Robotics (NASDAQ: KITT) has pivoted from a speculative energy services company into a strategic asset positioned at the intersection of national security and resource independence. The company's transformation centers on autonomous underwater robotics designed to extract critical minerals from the deep seabed, a response to China's near-monopoly (80%+ control) over rare earth elements essential for defense systems and the green energy transition. Following President Trump's April 2025 Executive Order declaring seabed minerals a "core national security interest," Nauticus secured a $250 million equity facility. They announced its entry into deep-sea mineral exploration, positioning itself as the technological enabler for U.S. interests in what the report terms the "Blue Cold War." The company's technological moat rests on its proprietary Aquanaut platform. This transformer-style autonomous underwater vehicle transitions from streamlined cruising to a hoverable work configuration paired with the electric Olympic Arm manipulator and ToolKITT software operating system. This technology stack offers 30-40% cost reductions over traditional crewed operations by eliminating expensive support vessels and replacing human labor with autonomous systems. Nauticus recently achieved critical milestones, including successful testing at 2,300-meter depths, NASDAQ compliance restoration (December 2025), and integration of its software into third-party ROVs, validating both technical capability and commercial viability. The licensing of ToolKITT to retrofit existing underwater vehicles represents a high-margin revenue opportunity across thousands of legacy assets. However, significant execution risks temper this strategic positioning. The company burned $134.9 million in 2024 and posted only $2 million in Q3 2025 revenue, relying heavily on dilutive equity financing through its $250M facility (capped at 19.99% of shares). The pivot to deep-sea mining remains unproven at commercial scale. Surveying nodules differs vastly from extraction, and regulatory frameworks continue to evolve amid environmental controversies. Nauticus faces competition from well-capitalized Chinese state-owned enterprises and traditional dredging giants while navigating cybersecurity requirements (CMMC compliance) for defense contracts. The company remains under NASDAQ "Panel Monitor" status through December 2026, with any future violation triggering immediate delisting. Success depends on synchronized execution across technology scaling, government contract acquisition, and favorable policy momentum, making Nauticus a high-variance bet on whether autonomous robotics can indeed break China's stranglehold on critical minerals while surviving the precarious journey to profitability.

Oceaneering (OII) — Subsea Tech + Multi-Year Backlog Momentum Company Overview Oceaneering International NYSE:OII is a global leader in offshore engineered services & subsea robotics, spanning ROVs, asset integrity, and digital solutions for oil & gas and emerging offshore energy. Q3’25 Execution Revenue: $743M (+9% YoY) Net income: +73% YoY Drivers: higher offshore activity, improved asset utilization, disciplined cost control—expanding operating leverage. Backlog & Visibility Multi-year contracts through 2027 reinforce revenue visibility and margin stability, underpinned by deepwater project pipelines. Tech Edge Vision™ Subsea digital platform enables remote inspections, safety improvements, and reduced downtime, strengthening OII’s role as a mission-critical deepwater partner. Investment Outlook Bullish above: $23–$24 Target: $35–$36 — supported by backlog growth, utilization gains, and digital subsea differentiation. 📌 OII — scaling robotics + digital to power the next cycle of offshore energy.

Can Kraken Robotics Dominate the Undersea Battlefield?Kraken Robotics stands at the forefront of the rapidly expanding unmanned underwater systems sector, merging technological innovation with strategic positioning. The Canadian company has built a robust competitive moat through two core technologies: its high-resolution Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) and pressure-tolerant SeaPower batteries. These innovations enable superior imaging and endurance capabilities, giving Kraken a decisive edge in both defense and commercial subsea markets. By vertically integrating its components, platforms, and services, Kraken captures value across the full maritime technology spectrum, turning each innovation into a multiplier for the next. The company's partnership with Anduril Industries, a disruptive force in modern defense technology, has become a potential game-changer. Kraken provides key sonar and energy systems for Anduril’s Dive-LD and Ghost Shark autonomous underwater vehicles, positioning itself as a strategic enabler in the race toward naval autonomy. This alliance could multiply Kraken’s revenue base several times over if Anduril scales production as planned. Yet, this same dependence also presents significant concentration risk; any delay or contract change at Anduril could sharply impact Kraken’s trajectory. Financially, Kraken is at a critical juncture. Recent years have seen consistent double-digit revenue growth and expanding EBITDA margins, supported by strong demand for its subsea technologies. A C$115 million capital raise in 2025 strengthened its balance sheet and positioned the company for large-scale production expansion. Forward-looking models forecast revenue growth from C$128 million in 2025 to over C$850 million by 2030 in the base case, with substantial margin expansion as economies of scale take hold. Despite its risks, operational, financial, and technological, Kraken Robotics embodies a rare pure-play exposure to the multi-decade transformation of underwater defense and exploration. For investors with the patience and tolerance for volatility, it represents a high-risk, high-reward opportunity. If the company executes on its Anduril partnership and leverages its subsea dominance effectively, it may not just participate in the next defense revolution - it could define it.