Page 23: of Marine Technology Magazine (January 2025)

“The scale has grown immensely. What used to be an exciting 20-battery order has now turned into requests for 200, 300, or even 400 units at a time.”

Nat Spencer, COO, Kraken

Courtesy Kraken

Why Kraken’s Batteries Stand Out With these advancements, Kraken is focusing its R&D on

So, what makes SeaPower batteries the choice for UUV ap- three major areas: plications? Spencer is clear: “It all comes down to energy • Increasing Energy Storage – Packing even more power density. We are 20% to 46% more effective than our competi- into con? ned spaces.

tors in storing and delivering power. That’s the primary reason • Enhancing On-Vehicle Processing – Allowing UUVs to customers choose us.” process and analyze data before transmitting it back to op-

The compact size of Kraken’s batteries also provides a erators.

critical edge. “In any underwater vehicle, space is at a pre- • Advancing Offshore Recharging – Developing ways for mium. Our batteries are either the same size or smaller than vehicles to refuel at sea, extending missions inde? nitely.

traditional models, but they hold signi? cantly more power,” “Many of these ideas weren’t considered necessary in the

Spencer explains. “They’re also lighter because they don’t commercial market until now,” Spencer admits. “But with require oil compensation or extra pressure housing. This re- larger, more powerful AUVs hitting the water, maximizing sults in a three-fold advantage: more power, smaller size, battery performance is more critical than ever.” and reduced weight.”

For subsea operators, this means vehicles can stay underwa- The Road Ahead for Kraken ter longer, carry more advanced payloads, and reduce opera- As Kraken continues to expand, Spencer remains focused tional costs. on balancing innovation with operational ef? ciency. “We’re proud of our pragmatic approach—we work closely with our

Defense and the Future of Battery R&D clients to understand their needs and develop practical, high-

While Kraken’s technology has broad applications, Spen- performance solutions.” cer acknowledges that military and defense markets are the Looking ahead, Kraken is set to scale even further, with in- primary drivers of innovation in subsea battery technology. creased production and a growing global footprint. “As sub- “The defense sector is pushing the boundaries of what’s pos- sea operations become more complex, the demand for high- sible,” he says. “They’re asking, ‘How do we go further? ef? ciency, high-capacity batteries will only increase,” Spencer

How do we increase capability? How much energy can we predicts. “We’re excited to be leading that charge.” ? t into a given space?’” From its early days as a niche battery supplier to its current

This demand has also led to a rapid increase in vehicle size. status as a key player in subsea power solutions, Kraken is “We used to think of commercial AUVs as large when they proving that the future of underwater technology is all about were 30 feet long,” Spencer notes. “Now, the next-generation going further, lasting longer, and performing better—one underwater vehicles are the size of a city bus.” powerful battery at a time.

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