Page 22: of Marine Technology Magazine (January 2025)

INTERVIEW BATTERIES

Powering UUVs

I th f t l i ld f i In the fast-evolving world of marine technology, battery innovation plays a crucial role in advancing underwater vehicles and offshore operations. At the forefront of this transformation is Kraken, a company that has rapidly expanded its presence in subsea technology. To gain insight into Kraken’s journey and breakthroughs in battery technology, we spoke with Nat Spencer, COO, Kraken.

Courtesy Kraken or Nat Spencer, the path to Kraken wasn’t a con- tally shifted. “For years, the industry wasn’t producing ventional one. His career began in law before piv- enough batteries at scale to expose and address techni- oting into business and ultimately leading him into cal challenges. Companies would manufacture small the marine and energy sectors. “I’ve had a bit of a batches—maybe 15 or 20 batteries a year—but that has

Fvaried journey,” he shares. “I started out as a law- changed drastically.” yer, worked in oil and gas services, then moved to Oceaneer- Now, Kraken is ful? lling orders in the hundreds. “The scale ing, where I focused on business development and corporate has grown immensely. What used to be an exciting 20-bat- growth, particularly in renewable energy.” tery order has now turned into requests for 200, 300, or even

His transition into Kraken came through PanGeo Subsea, 400 units at a time.” a company specializing in subsea survey services, which The secret to Kraken’s battery success lies in its pressure-

Kraken acquired in 2021. “Initially, I joined PanGeo to tolerant technology. Unlike traditional subsea batteries, help expand into the U.S. market, leveraging my experi- which rely on heavy pressure housings, Kraken’s batteries ence in renewables. Over time, I moved into operations, use silicone encapsulation that allows them to withstand overseeing the services business. When Kraken acquired deep-sea pressures without additional protective casings.

PanGeo, I took on an even larger role, eventually becoming “The result is a signi? cantly lighter, more energy-dense bat-

COO in 2023.” tery,” Spencer explains. “Compared to competitors, our bat-

Today, Spencer oversees Kraken’s multiple business lines, teries offer 20% to 50% greater energy ef? ciency, depending which include sonar systems, software-as-a-service (SaaS) on the application.” solutions, batteries, and offshore survey services. “We’ve This increased energy density translates into two key ad- grown tremendously,” he says. “We’ve expanded from vantages: around 80 employees to 300 and are continuing to scale. Our • Extended Range – Underwater vehicles (UUVs and operations span 20 countries, with key of? ces in Newfound- AUVs) can travel further distances without needing to re- land, Halifax, Aberdeen, Bremen, and Rio, along with pro- charge.

duction facilities in Germany and Newfoundland.” • Higher Power Capability – Operators can run more sensors and instruments simultaneously without sacri? cing

The Evolution of SeaPower Batteries battery life.

One of Kraken’s fastest-growing divisions is its SeaPow- Spencer sums it up simply: “If you want your vehicle to er battery line, which has been making waves in the de- travel an extra 1,000 kilometers or operate multiple sensors fense and commercial sectors. According to Spencer, the at once, our batteries make that possible without compromis- market for underwater battery technology has fundamen- ing performance.” 22 January/February 2025

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