PRS
Pelagic Research Services (PRS) operates a custom 6000-meter-rated ROV (Odysseus 6K) and crew to deliver turnkey deep-sea expedition, survey, and environmental monitoring services for academic, government, ocean-industry, and deep-sea mining clients worldwide.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSouth Wellfleet, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What PRS does
Pelagic Research Services (PRS) is a US-based ocean-services firm that delivers turnkey deep-sea operations through a custom 6000-meter depth-rated Remotely Operated Vehicle, the Odysseus 6K, designed by PRS and built in partnership with MPH Engineering. The system integrates iXblue inertial navigation and Nortek Doppler Velocity Log positioning, high-resolution imaging, a 4000-lb through-frame lifting bridge with hydraulic load releases, and configurable skid packages for suction sampling, push coring, bio-box retrieval, and precision intervention work. PRS packages the platform with a trained crew and expedition management so institutions and companies without dedicated subsea programs can execute deep-water research, surveys, and recoveries. The firm is positioned as a medium work-class/science-class vehicle that fits into two 20-foot containers, deploys from standard vessel A-frames, and can be airlifted globally.
PRS earns revenue from three streams: project-based ROV services for ocean science (academic and government), ocean industry (oil and gas surveys and intervention to ~2500m), and ocean-mining environmental monitoring that conforms to International Seabed Authority rules; a small but growing recurring layer via System 3R, a cloud-based subscription for real-time dive monitoring and subsea emergency response for private manned submersible operators; and expedition support for marine conservation and outreach organizations. Customer relationships include Ocean Networks Canada (preferred ROV supplier since 2015, ongoing 'Wiring the Abyss' cabled-observatory work), NOAA (Southeast Deep Coral Initiative, Ocean Explorer), DeepGreen / The Metals Company (Clarion-Clipperton Zone environmental baseline), BGR (German federal CCZ exploration), and US and Canadian universities. Go-to-market is direct enterprise engagement via proposals and contracts, with no resellers or channels; the company has fewer than 50 employees, corporate offices in South Wellfleet, MA, and an operations base in East Aurora, NY.
PRS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PRS
- Legal name
- Pelagic Research Services, LLC
- Website
- https://pelagic-services.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Pelagic Research Services (PRS) operates a custom 6000-meter-rated ROV (Odysseus 6K) and crew to deliver turnkey deep-sea expedition, survey, and environmental monitoring services for academic, government, ocean-industry, and deep-sea mining clients worldwide.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PRS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Deep-Sea ROV Services
- NAICS
- Ship Building and Repairing (336611), Environmental Consulting Services (54162), Surveying and Mapping (except Geophysical) Services (541370)
- SIC
- Ship & Boat Building & Repairing (3730), Oil & Gas Field Services, Nec (1389), Services-Prepackaged Software (7372)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Underwater Inspection, Maintenance & Repair (UWILD, Diving/ROV, In-water Cleaning) (IMAJAFAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Offshore Marine & Aviation Support (PSVs, AHTS, Crew Boats, Helicopters) (EUALABAJ), Maritime Unmanned Systems (USV/UUV) & Control Stations (IMABAKAJ), Subsea Construction & IMR Vessel Newbuilds (CSV, DSV, ROV Support) (IMAJACAD)
Keywords
Where PRS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- South Wellfleet
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
PRS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- ROV Services and Operations: Providing ROV system and trained crew for deep-sea research, exploration, and industry projects. Includes survey, sampling, installation, maintenance, and recovery operations. Charged per expedition or project basis with pricing based on duration, depth requirements, and specialized tooling needs.
- System 3R Subscription Services: Cloud-based subscription service for real-time dive monitoring and emergency response planning for private manned submersible operators. Ongoing subscription revenue from safety and monitoring services.
- Environmental Monitoring for Ocean Mining: Specialized environmental data collection services for deep-sea mining operators requiring ISA compliance, including baseline surveys, during-mining monitoring, and post-mining assessment.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Project-based ROV services with customized configurations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
PRS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PRS provides turnkey deep-sea ROV operations centered on the 6,000-meter Odysseus 6K system, delivering expedition planning, execution, and state-of-the-art sub-sea research tools and personnel to the global ocean community. Offerings span ocean sciences support, ocean industry ROV services (surveys, installation, recovery), ISA-compliant environmental monitoring for deep-sea mining, marine conservation expeditions, and the System 3R cloud subscription for real-time dive monitoring and emergency response for manned submersibles.
Product overview
PRS (Pelagic Research Services) is an ocean services company offering a portfolio of deep sea research tools and services centered around the ODYSSEUS 6K ROV system, a 6000-meter depth-rated remotely operated vehicle. The company provides turnkey ROV operations for ocean science, ocean industry, marine conservation, and deep ocean minerals mining sectors. Additional offerings include System 3R (a cloud-based subscription for real-time dive monitoring and emergency response for manned submersibles), environmental monitoring services, and research/educational outreach support. The ODYSSEUS 6K serves as the primary hardware platform, with specialized skids and tool packages enabling sampling, survey, and intervention capabilities.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- SYSTEM 3R: Rapid, Ready-state, Response - a cloud-based subscription software system providing real-time dive monitoring, emergency response planning, rescue asset tracking, and immediate incident alerts for private manned submersibles.
Products and services
- Odysseus 6K ROV System A 6,000-meter depth-rated Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) system providing deep-sea research, survey, recovery, and intervention capabilities. Easily transportable, deployable from various vessels without specialized LARS, with real-time HD imagery, through-frame lift up to 4,000 lbs, and configurable sampling skids (suction samplers, push cores, bio boxes). Used as the primary platform for PRS's project-based ROV service deliveries.
- System 3R: Rapid, Ready-state Response Cloud-based subscription software system providing real-time dive monitoring, emergency response planning, rescue asset tracking, and immediate incident alerts for private manned submersible operations. Includes coordination support with Maritime Response Coordination Centers (MRCCs), with PRS personnel designated as Subject Matter Experts.
- Ocean Sciences Services Turnkey ROV-based deep-sea and ocean science support services for academic and research institutions worldwide, providing affordable access to sophisticated deep-water research capabilities, instrument installation and recovery, sampling, and survey work.
- Ocean Industry Services ROV services for the ocean industry including well-head surveys, environmental surveys, equipment delivery and recovery, and other subsea support to depths of 2,500 meters for offshore oil and gas, renewable energy, and maritime operators.
- Ocean Mining Monitoring Services Environmental collection and monitoring services for deep ocean minerals mining operations during exploration, mining, and post-mining activities, designed to meet International Seabed Authority (ISA) requirements. Supports sampling for ferromanganese crusts, polymetallic sulphides, and polymetallic nodules, with a continuous collection basket system and passive sediment plume filter.
- Marine Conservation Services Expertise and support for marine conservation organizations, aquariums, and maritime institutions to create unique, science-based, mission-branded deep-sea expeditions aligned with their identity, programs, and donor engagement goals.
- Research, Education Outreach and Exploration Expedition Services Support for research, education outreach, and exploration expeditions for organizations, aquariums, and science institutions, including branded content delivery, marketing, education, and fundraising support tied to deep-sea missions.
- Catastrophic Event Response Services Rapid-response services for subsea emergencies, including rescue asset deployment, expert subsea navigation, tracking, and coordinated emergency response support for manned submersibles.
Quantifiable outcome
- 11-hour average dive time achieved during ONC expeditions
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use PRS
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
PRS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
PRS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- DeepGreen Metals / The Metals CompanycoreROV service provider for DeepGreen's multi-year, $75 million deep-sea research program in the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. PRS supported Environmental Expedition 5B focused on characterizing the marine environment for battery metals extraction from polymetallic nodules. DeepGreen merged with Sustainable Opportunities Acquisition Corporation (SOAC) to become The Metals Company.
- ArgonoxminorStrategic alliance to support Argonox's exploration of solutions to pressing world problems through discovering and developing compounds from rare marine sources. PRS provides ROV and expedition support for Argonox's deep-sea exploration.
- Ocean Networks Canada (ONC)corePreferred supplier of ROV services since 2015. PRS has completed multiple expeditions supporting ONC's 'Wiring the Abyss' program, maintaining and installing infrastructure on ONC's cabled ocean observatories. ONC is a not-for-profit organization managed by University of Victoria. PRS was one of six companies prequalified by University of Victoria to provide ROV services.
- MPH EngineeringcoreROV manufacturer that built the Odysseus ROV system. Long-standing engineering partnership for design, fabrication, and continuous improvement of deep-sea tools and sampling equipment.
- University of HawaiiminorPartner institution in DeepGreen's Environmental Expedition 5B, providing marine researchers for the multi-institutional research campaign studying CCZ pelagic biology.
- Texas A&M UniversityminorPartner institution in DeepGreen's Environmental Expedition 5B, contributing researchers to the deep-sea environmental study team.
- JAMSTEC (Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology)minorPartner institution in DeepGreen's Environmental Expedition 5B, providing marine researchers from Japan's leading ocean research agency.
- Running TideminorPartnership with leading ocean-based carbon dioxide removal company for deployment of monitoring platform at Clayoquot Slope during ONC expedition.
- University of Southern Mississippi (USM)minorCollaborated with USM for Gulf of Mexico oil sampling project using specialized oil sampler developed jointly with Coastal Carolina University and PRS. USM provided R/V Point Sur vessel for the research cruises.
- NOAAcoreLong-standing relationship supporting NOAA's deep-sea coral research initiatives including Southeast Deep Coral Initiative (SEDCI), Ocean Explorer program, and wreck documentation projects. PRS provided ROV services for multiple NOAA expeditions.
- Canadian Coast GuardcoreVessel support for ONC expeditions. PRS mobilized on CCGS John P. Tully for multiple 'Wiring the Abyss' expeditions, working alongside Canadian Coast Guard crew.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PRS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Oceaneering International: Global offshore operator with the world's largest work-class ROV fleet serving oil & gas, renewables, and subsea intervention. Competes with PRS on ocean-industry contracts but is not specialized in science/mission-grade sampling, making PRS more focused on academic and ISA work.
- Helix Energy Solutions Group: Subsea services and robotics specialist (well intervention, ROV, trenching). Comparable technical stack and oil & gas client overlap; unlike PRS it does not anchor offerings around deep-sea science or ISA environmental sampling.
- Saipem: Major offshore EPCI and subsea services contractor with substantial ROV capability supporting oil & gas and offshore renewables. Comparable on ocean-industry services; not specialized in deep-ocean science expeditions.
- Fugro: Global geo-data specialist operating subsea ROVs and survey fleets for site characterization, pipeline inspection, and offshore wind. Overlaps with PRS on survey/inspection work but at portfolio scale and with geophysical focus.
Emerging players
- DOER Marine: Subsea technology and consulting firm operating ROVs and novel intervention tooling (e.g., Hercules, Argus). Comparable science-leaning profile to PRS with similar custom-tool orientation but a smaller and more R&D-driven footprint.
- Caladan Oceanic: Private deep-ocean exploration company operating the Limiting Factor submersible. Tangentially comparable given System 3R targets PRS-style response services for the same private-submersible customer class.
Direct peers
- Inkfish: Marine operations company managing research vessel programs and subsea sampling; competes with PRS for expedition execution on academic and government ocean-science projects.
- Phoenix International Holdings: US-based subsea services and ROV operator supporting Navy, NOAA, and offshore clients with dive and ROV intervention. Closest direct US comparable on government-academic ocean science and salvage work; competes with PRS for similar expedition contracts.
- DeepOcean: Subsea IMR, survey, and offshore services provider operating trenching and ROV assets across European and trans-Atlantic markets. Most direct functional comparable to PRS — vessel-based, project-priced, multi-domain (survey, inspection, intervention) — though at substantially larger scale.
Others
- Schmidt Ocean Institute: Non-profit operating R/V Falkor with science-class ROVs (SuBastian) supporting global ocean research. Not a commercial competitor but a complementary platform whose users overlap PRS's academic clients and standards.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PRS social profiles
Digital presencePRS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PRS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
PRS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PRS M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PRS
What does PRS do?
PRS provides turnkey deep-sea ROV operations centered on the 6,000-meter Odysseus 6K system, delivering expedition planning, execution, and state-of-the-art sub-sea research tools and personnel to the global ocean community. Offerings span ocean sciences support, ocean industry ROV services (surveys, installation, recovery), ISA-compliant environmental monitoring for deep-sea mining, marine conservation expeditions, and the System 3R cloud subscription for real-time dive monitoring and emergency response for manned submersibles.
Is PRS a public or private company?
PRS is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was PRS founded?
PRS was founded in 2013. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PRS based?
PRS is headquartered in South Wellfleet, United States, in the North America region.
How does PRS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. ROV Services and Operations are the primary driver. The others are system 3R Subscription Services and environmental Monitoring for Ocean Mining.
Who are PRS's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Oceaneering International, Helix Energy Solutions Group, Saipem and Fugro. Emerging players are DOER Marine and Caladan Oceanic. Direct peers are Inkfish, Phoenix International Holdings and DeepOcean. Schmidt Ocean Institute is listed as an others.
Does PRS have an API?
No public API is recorded for PRS.
What industry is PRS in?
PRS's product category is Deep-Sea ROV Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMAJAFAJ, Underwater Inspection, Maintenance & Repair (UWILD, Diving/ROV, In-water Cleaning), with a secondary code of EUALABAJ, Offshore Marine & Aviation Support (PSVs, AHTS, Crew Boats, Helicopters). Its NAICS code is 336611 and its SIC code is 3730.