Cellula Robotics & FERRI Establish Nautical Reach Systems for Autonomous Marine Handling

16 September 2026
Edited By: Ed Freeman

Cellula Robotics and Industrias FERRI have formed Nautical Reach Systems, an East Coast Canadian joint venture that will design and manufacture marine motion, lift, and handling systems for autonomous maritime operations. Its portfolio will cover smart launch and recovery, along with complex payload handling across uncrewed surface and underwater vehicles.

(Credit: Cellula Robotics/FERRI)

For naval, coast guard, and offshore operators, autonomous platforms working beyond the horizon or far from conventional support depend on safe, reliable handling at sea. Nautical Reach Systems will engineer its solutions around the mission, host vessel, and operating environment, including remote, harsh, and Arctic conditions.

“This partnership is designed to help shape the future of marine operations by enabling smart, autonomous decision-making at the edge,” said Neil Manning, CEO of Cellula Robotics. “Nautical Reach Systems gives customers one engineering team that understands what is happening below the surface and on deck. That shared view means the vehicle and its handling equipment can be designed together around how they will be used at sea. I am truly excited by this joint venture, and grateful for the commitment and trust FERRI has placed in us.”

FERRI’s bespoke marine and naval handling systems are used by international navies and installed on hundreds of vessels worldwide. Cellula brings 25 years of subsea engineering and demonstrated in situ performance, with experience delivering long-endurance autonomous underwater systems and integrating vehicles, payloads, and operational support around each mission. Together, the companies will apply that combined expertise to engineer the connection between host vessels and autonomous platforms as part of the wider mission system.

“FERRI has delivered advanced marine deck machinery and complex load-handling solutions for more than 60 years. With experience supplying the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Coast Guard, we are committed to expanding our Canadian partnerships,” said Patricio Fernández, CEO of FERRI. “I am very pleased to be working with Cellula Robotics to bring FERRI’s marine handling expertise together with Cellula’s autonomous robotics capabilities and deliver practical solutions for customers.”

FERRI will make a multi-million-dollar investment in Canada through the joint venture, supporting the creation of skilled jobs and intellectual property in Canada. Cellula will contribute intellectual property in autonomous handling solutions. FERRI’s established European presence builds on Cellula’s expanding regional presence to support further growth across the region.