Page 46: of Marine Technology Magazine (March 2026)

PEOPLE & COMPANY ¯ BIRNS ¯ Kongsberg Discovery

Mark Heine, Fugro CEO, (left) and Auden Berg, EVP, Kongsberg Discovery,

Sophia Bruner sign the agreement at Oceanology International. leadership in ocean science and technol- gineering teams, overseeing the design, including the company’s expanding port- ogy communications, including advisory development, and scaling of products to folio of uncrewed surface vessels (USVs).

roles supporting IOC-UNESCO and the achieve quality, cost, and delivery objec- The new agreement reinforces Kongs-

UN Ocean Decade, and leadership posi- tives. She is also responsible for planning, berg Discovery’s position as a preferred tions with global ocean initiatives. She is directing, and coordinating all design and technology partner for Fugro, providing part of Leading Women for the Ocean and manufacturing engineering activities. continued access to the company’s so- has served as a senior editor for a leading With more than 30 years of expertise lutions, such as the EM2042 multibeam ocean trade publication. With more than across manufacturing, engineering, qual- echosounder and Seapath motion and a decade in the ocean technology and en- ity engineering, and operations, Bruner GNSS positioning systems, which have vironment sector as a writer and strategic brings both skill and progressive leader- been selected for integration across Fu- communications consultant, she supports ship experience to her new role at BIRNS. gro’s new generation of autonomous

Cellula's program communications and Prior to joining the company, she held survey platforms. Working together, the stakeholder engagement, helping align senior leadership roles including Senior assets and technology will deliver high- stakeholders across defense, industry, Engineering Manager at Tesla, Direc- quality, precise hydrospatial data and government, and research communities. tor of Quality at Veev by Lennar, and optimally ef? cient, safe and sustainable

Oliver Morris, Customer Success and Manufacturing Engineering Manager remote operations.

Delivery Manager, brings extensive UK at Sikorsky Aircraft/Lockheed Martin, Although the agreement is wide-rang- defense experience spanning procure- supporting complex products in highly ing in reach, Fugro’s decision to expand ment, operational delivery, and systems regulated and fast-paced environments. its USV ? eet, as announced at Oceanol- integration. Previously, Ollie served as “I’m excited to join BIRNS and to work ogy International, is a natural focal point. the UK Operational Co-ordination Of? - alongside such a talented team dedicat- The Dutch multinational, which employs cer in OCCAR, managing program inter- ed to delivering high-performance solu- approximately 10,000 people in 52 coun- faces for the UK MoD, and prior he spent tions for demanding subsea and nuclear tries, has built an advanced network of eight years in DE&S delivering deployed environments,” said Bruner. “I look for- Remote Operations Centres (ROCs) to engineering and operational leadership as ward to contributing to the continued in- enable USV tasks, helping dramatically an end user for AUV capability, including novation, quality, and operational excel- reduce emissions (by up 95%), with en- seabed data and analysis for defense ap- lence that our customers rely on, while hanced safety and 24/7 operational ef? - plications. He later supported mine hunt- helping strengthen collaboration across ciency. Kongsberg Discovery technolo- ing capability development, including engineering and manufacturing.” gies are central to these developments, system-of-systems integration strategy supporting the precise navigation, seabed and approaches to machine learning ex- mapping and underwater positioning re- ¯ K ongsberg Discovery, Fugro Rein- ploitation, and contributed to establishing quired for autonomous success.

force Main Supplier Agreement the Maritime Autonomy Centre of Exper- Kongsberg Discovery and Fugro have In addition to multibeam echosounders tise (MASCoE) within DE&S. signed a new framework agreement that and Seapath INS, Fugro will continue to strengthens a decades-long technology utilize a broader portfolio of Kongsberg partnership between the two companies. Discovery systems including HiPAP un- ¯ BIRNS Announces New Engineer- ing Manager The contract, con? rmed at Oceanol- derwater acoustic positioning and com-

BIRNS, Inc. has appointed Sophia ogy International in London, positions munication technology. Together, these

Bruner as the company’s new Engineer- Kongsberg Discovery as a key supplier of solutions provide the high-accuracy sit- ing Manager. advanced hydroacoustic and positioning uational awareness needed for complex

She leads BIRNS’ cross-functional en- technologies across Fugro’s global ? eet, offshore survey projects.

46 March/April 2026

MTR #3 (34-47).indd 46 MTR #3 (34-47).indd 46 3/30/2026 11:39:18 AM3/30/2026 11:39:18 AM