The partnership brings together Kraken’s uncrewed maritime technology and Umoe Mandal’s 30 years of experience in advanced composite vessel construction
Kraken Technology Group and Norwegian shipbuilder Umoe Mandal have signed a Letter of Intent to explore future cooperation on the development and production of autonomous and uncrewed maritime platforms.
The agreement was signed at the International Sea Power Conference, witnessed by UK Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard. It establishes a framework for collaboration, bringing together Kraken’s expertise in uncrewed maritime systems with Umoe Mandal’s extensive experience in advanced composite vessel construction.
Umoe Mandal has more than 30 years’ experience designing and building lightweight, high-strength composite vessels and structures at its yard in southern Norway. It built the Royal Norwegian Navy’s high-speed Skjold-class corvettes, constructed from composite materials, and supplies composite mast structures for the Royal Navy’s Type 26 frigates.
They will also look at joint opportunities in defence, maritime surveillance, offshore energy and critical infrastructure protection; all areas where demand for low-cost, uncrewed maritime capability is growing across Europe.
The agreement follows Kraken’s partnerships with Rheinmetall in Germany and Davie in Canada, and extends its industrial collaboration to fellow Joint Expeditionary Force member Norway, in support of the UK–Norway Lunna House Agreement. Following its $175m Series B raise and $1bn valuation earlier this year, Kraken is scaling production to 1,000 vessels per year.
Mal Crease, CEO and Founder, Kraken Technology Group, said: “Umoe Mandal has a long record of building novel and complex naval vessels in Norway. This agreement allows us to explore how we combine our expertise as we support closer UK-Norway industrial cooperation while defending our seas.”
