iXblue: Opening up new horizons

iXblue is a global high-tech company specializing in the design and manufacturing of advanced autonomous and marine technologies. The group in-house expertise includes innovative systems and solutions devoted to inertial navigation, subsea positioning, underwater imaging, as well as shipbuilding.

The company’s products and solutions are perfectly suited for challenging environments where GPS is not available, and address a wide range of applications such as hydrographic, oceanographic and geophysical surveys, marine environmental assessment, offshore and renewable energies applications, or underground mining.

Through their mastery of the key technologies of autonomy, of the sea and of photonics (on which all of the company’s inertial navigation systems are based), iXblue contributes to the mutations of the world and are opening up new horizons.

iXblue has end-to-end control of its value chain, from the design work carried out in its engineering offices through to manufacturing in the company’s own production shops. This brings great flexibility and agility to the company, allowing it to adapt better to the specific needs of its customers and to market trends.

Research and development is central to the company’s activities and iXblue is recognized as a pioneer in many technical disciplines. This focus on innovation has enabled the company to establish and maintain a leading position in its strategic markets over the past three decades.

iXblue products are widely used in Africa, with close to 20 countries already using the company’s systems. Those include Fiber-optic based (FOG) navigation systems (gyroscopes and INS), acoustic subsea positioning systems (Gaps USBL, Canopus LBL), seafloor mapping sensors, as well as DriX unmanned surface vessel (USV).

All of iXblue products and solutions can be purchased locally through a network of partners. They are also used locally by international companies on the occasion of major contacts.

For the past ten years iXblue Sea Operations division, that conducts surveys around the world, was furthermore involved in many survey operations in the following countries of the region (starting from the most recent experiences):

Cabo Verde (on-going), Morocco (ongoing), Seychelles, Reunion Island (ongoing), Mauritius, Senegal, Tunisia, Gabon, Madagascar, Egypt, Eritrea, Angola, Algeria, Kenya and Tanzania.

During those surveys, iXblue is especially attentive to develop equipment that aim to: • Reduce the environmental impact of such surveys • Reduce the human risk exposure when working at sea • Contribute to the gathering of georeferenced and calibrated data.