China Plans to Export Seabed Cable-Locating Robots to Southeast Asia, Middle East and Europe

China plans to export robots that locate and protect marine cables buried under the seabed to clients in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Europe. The Science and Technology Daily reported the export plan on 29 June 2026. The robots were developed by a team at Dalian Jiaotong University and can locate cables under silt with positioning error below 5 percent while also covering exposed sections with sediment.

The machines operate continuously at depths reaching 300 meters and hold position in strong currents. Chen Shaohua, a professor at the university’s school of railway intelligent engineering, said the design uses two complementary sensors. The report stated that the exports will integrate Chinese cable detection systems into international offshore projects and strengthen the competitiveness of domestic marine equipment.

@SCMPNews reported the details on 5 July 2026.