In December 2023, the National Underwater Dimension Hub (Pns) was launched in La Spezia, Italy, to unify maritime cluster stakeholders under the Italian Navy's leadership.
This initiative addresses the growing importance of managing underwater resources, which are vital for sectors such as maritime trade, energy, and critical minerals.
Despite significant investments in space exploration, the underwater economy has been largely overlooked, as highlighted by Admiral Enrico Credendino.
The Pns aims to rectify this by fostering collaboration among ministries, large enterprises, SMEs, startups, universities, and research centers.
The hub's inception was driven by the development of the U212 NFS submarines, with Fincantieri playing a pivotal role.
The program demonstrated the potential of Italy's industrial cluster to excel globally in both military and civilian applications.
Strategic priorities for the Pns include developing technologies for critical infrastructure protection, marine ecosystem sustainability, and cybersecurity.
Initial projects, funded equally by the state and industry, focus on autonomous vehicle systems and energy optimization.
The Pns has already published four research calls, with projects led by Fincantieri and Leonardo.
Future initiatives will explore intelligent underwater cables and reaction systems, with Leonardo recently transferring its Underwater Armaments & System business to Fincantieri.
The hub's success hinges on securing stable funding, with projections suggesting annual investments of around 50 million euros by 2027.