PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1923248
PUBLISHER: The Business Research Company | PRODUCT CODE: 1923248
Hydrographic survey equipment refers to the combination of software and hardware solutions designed to gather essential data for creating charts related to water depth, topography, tide measurements, and other underwater physical features. These charts are crucial for providing navigational information on the water surface.
The main categories of hydrographic survey equipment include sensing systems, positioning systems, optical systems, profilers, software, and other types. Sensing systems involve the use of technologies such as radar, video, sound, or infrared technology to detect the presence of objects or individuals. These systems are measured by the placement of a 12-inch high by 12-inch diameter cylinder within a minimum area. Various platforms for hydrographic survey equipment include surface vessels, Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USV), Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUV), and aircraft, covering depths from shallow water to deep water. Applications for this equipment include port and harbor management, offshore oil and gas surveys, cable or pipeline route surveys, hydrographic or bathymetry surveys, among others. The end-users of hydrographic survey equipment span commercial, research, and defense sectors.
Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report's Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.
Tariffs are affecting the hydrographic survey equipment market by increasing costs of imported sonar systems, positioning units, and survey software. Commercial, research, and defense segments in Asia-Pacific, Europe, and North America are most impacted due to reliance on high-precision imported equipment. Positive effects include growth of local manufacturing, regional sourcing of components, and investment in R&D for advanced hydrographic technologies.
The hydrographic survey equipment market research report is one of a series of new reports from The Business Research Company that provides hydrographic survey equipment market statistics, including hydrographic survey equipment industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with a hydrographic survey equipment market share, detailed hydrographic survey equipment market segments, market trends and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the hydrographic survey equipment industry. This hydrographic survey equipment market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenario of the industry.
The hydrographic survey equipment market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $3.22 billion in 2025 to $3.44 billion in 2026 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8%. The growth in the historic period can be attributed to rise in development of hydrographic survey equipment, increasing adoption in offshore oil & gas survey, deployment in port and harbor management, integration in cable and pipeline route survey, growth in defense and research applications.
The hydrographic survey equipment market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $4.47 billion in 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.8%. The growth in the forecast period can be attributed to increase in autonomous hydrographic vessels, rising adoption of real-time positioning and sensing systems, expansion in advanced sonar and optical systems, growth in hydrographic software solutions, increase in unmanned survey platforms. Major trends in the forecast period include integration of AI-based hydrographic mapping, deployment of IoT-enabled survey platforms, adoption of real-time data processing software, implementation of autonomous survey vessels, expansion of multibeam and single beam sonar systems.
The growing volume of global trade and shipping is expected to drive the expansion of the hydrographic survey equipment market in the coming years. Shipping trade involves the transportation of cargo, particularly via ships, enabling the efficient and cost-effective movement of goods manufactured, grown, or mined in one country to another. Hydrographic survey equipment is vital for producing accurate nautical charts and ensuring the safety of marine operations. Its use in shipping is essential for safeguarding vessels and their cargo. For example, in October 2025, the World Trade Organization, a Switzerland-based intergovernmental body that regulates and facilitates international trade, reported that in 2024, global trade in goods and commercial services grew by 4% to reach US$32.2 trillion. Trade in goods increased by 2%, while services grew by 10%, surpassing the growth recorded in 2023. Consequently, the rise in global trade and shipping is propelling the growth of the hydrographic survey equipment market.
Major players in the hydrographic survey equipment market are introducing innovative solutions, including fully electric survey vessels. These vessels operate on electricity rather than traditional fossil fuels, offering a more environmentally friendly option with reduced emissions and noise pollution. The Port of London Authority (PLA) unveiled a fully electric remotely operated survey vessel in collaboration with the University College of London (UCL) in May 2023. Equipped with innovative sonar and scanning systems, the vessel ensures precise data gathering for navigation, safety, and maintenance, particularly in situations where traditional survey vessels may not be suitable.
In March 2024, Teledyne Technologies, a U.S.-based provider of marine instrumentation and sensing systems, acquired Valeport Holdings Limited for an undisclosed sum. This acquisition strengthens Teledyne's hydrographic and oceanographic measurement capabilities by integrating Valeport's advanced underwater sensors and profiling instruments into its marine portfolio. Valeport Holdings Limited, based in the UK, specializes in precision hydrographic and oceanographic instruments for underwater surveying and environmental monitoring.
Major companies operating in the hydrographic survey equipment market are Kongsberg Maritime, Teledyne Technologies, Innomar Technologie GmbH, Sonardyne International, iXblue SAS, SyQwest Inc., EdgeTech, Tritech International Ltd., Valeport Ltd., R2Sonic LLC, Klein Marine Systems, AML Oceanographic, Chesapeake Technology, Inc., Saab AB, Seafloor Systems, Inc., GeoAcoustics Ltd., Imagenex Technology Corp., Ohmex Instruments, Wartsila ELAC Nautik, LinkQuest Inc.
Asia-Pacific was the largest region in the hydrographic survey equipment market in 2025. The regions covered in the hydrographic survey equipment market report are Asia-Pacific, South East Asia, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Africa.
The countries covered in the hydrographic survey equipment market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Taiwan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.
The hydrographic survey equipment market consists of multibeam echo sounders (MBES), side scan sonar, laser scanners, sound speed profilers, sound velocity profilers, portable tide gauges, radar level sensors, interferometric sonar systems, and other hydrographic survey equipment. Values in this market are 'factory gate' values, that is the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.
The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).
The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.
Hydrographic Survey Equipment Market Global Report 2026 from The Business Research Company provides strategists, marketers and senior management with the critical information they need to assess the market.
This report focuses hydrographic survey equipment market which is experiencing strong growth. The report gives a guide to the trends which will be shaping the market over the next ten years and beyond.
Where is the largest and fastest growing market for hydrographic survey equipment ? How does the market relate to the overall economy, demography and other similar markets? What forces will shape the market going forward, including technological disruption, regulatory shifts, and changing consumer preferences? The hydrographic survey equipment market global report from the Business Research Company answers all these questions and many more.
The report covers market characteristics, size and growth, segmentation, regional and country breakdowns, total addressable market (TAM), market attractiveness score (MAS), competitive landscape, market shares, company scoring matrix, trends and strategies for this market. It traces the market's historic and forecast market growth by geography.
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