China sale of deep-sea surveillance robots to Middle East buyer signals deepening tech

Sealien Robotics’ sale of cutting-edge subsea system to mystery buyer is latest sign of China’s progress in global undersea tech race

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Sealien Robotics makes machines that descend thousands of metres into the abyss, such as cable inspectors, pipeline guardians, and offshore energy assistants. Photo: Sealien Robotics

Published: 4:15pm, 21 Mar 2025Updated: 4:26pm, 21 Mar 2025

Last week, a Chinese start-up founded by engineers who have risen on the tide of the country’s maritime ambitions, announced it had sold its cutting-edge deep-sea surveillance robots to an unidentified Middle Eastern nation.

Details of the deal were scant, and little was known about the buyer’s intentions, but the implications for China’s rapidly growing deep-sea robotics market could be immense.

Sealien Robotics, which makes machines that descend thousands of metres into the abyss, are marketed as tools of commerce, such as cable inspectors, pipeline guardians, and offshore energy assistants. However, in sensitive regions, where a seabed trench might be claimed by more than one state, or an undersea cable transmits data vital to secret military activities, such deep-sea vehicles could play more than technical roles.

Middle East players, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Israel, all maintain offshore energy facilities that require such technical surveillance systems.

Founded in 2021 and headquartered in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, Sealien Robotics has grown rapidly. According to its website, the company’s founding team consists of former engineers from a globally renowned European deep-sea robotics company.

The team has extensive experience in the development of commercial-grade remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and has modelled its business strategy after leading US companies such as Oceaneering and Schilling Robotics.