Briefly
Company "Nibulon" has raised €7.8 million from the German DEG Impulse gGmbH under the develoPPP program. According to the press service, the funds will be used to build a 90‑metre sea platform for demining water areas.
"The vessel will be engaged in clearing mined water areas using unmanned underwater systems, including ROV, AUV and other UUS"
— Press service of "Nibulon"
Technical capabilities and area of impact
The platform is designed to operate with unmanned underwater vehicles (ROV — remotely operated, AUV — autonomous, and other UUS). According to the company’s estimates, it can take part in demining more than 10 km² in the Black Sea and on inland waterways in the Mykolaiv and Kherson oblasts — regions critical for the safe export of grain.
Economic and security impact
This is simultaneously about maritime safety and industrial resilience: construction will be undertaken by the Nibulon shipyard — the only operating shipbuilding enterprise on the free territory of Ukraine. For export logistics and the agricultural sector, open and safe ports are not an abstraction but a direct influence on farmers' incomes and the country's foreign exchange flows.
Social proof: "Nibulon" officially obtained the status of a humanitarian demining operator in spring 2023 and over three years returned roughly 7,300 ha of demined agricultural land to use. Previously the company received a €4.8 million grant from BMZ under the same initiative to purchase special equipment — now the project is being scaled to the maritime domain.
Context and risks
Funding from develoPPP and support from German institutions (DEG, BMZ) is a signal of confidence from investors and partners. At the same time, demining at sea requires coordination with the military and the coast guard, technical maintenance of unmanned systems, and further scaling so that the platform becomes part of permanent infrastructure rather than a one-off solution.
What's next
The project combines three important directions: securing maritime corridors, supporting national shipbuilding, and capturing the economic benefits of restoring exports. Now the key tasks are passing trials, operational integration with the relevant services, and attracting additional partners to scale operations.
Whether this project can become a model for restoring safe sea routes while also supporting industry will depend on the speed of coordination between the private sector, international donors, and the state.
