The Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center was abuzz with energy and innovation on Thursday as the 2025 Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) World Championship kicked off. Over 70 teams from 18 countries descended upon Alpena, Michigan, to showcase their underwater ROVs, demonstrating the global reach and collaborative spirit of this annual event.
This year’s competition tasked students with missions that mirror real-world activities in the Great Lakes, from maritime history and shipwreck identification to tackling aquatic invasive species and exploring renewable energy solutions. Daniel Moffatt, Stewardship and Education Specialist for the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, emphasized the universal mission: “They are all working on the same mission and that mission is Great Lakes and ocean science.”
Teams are judged on their ability to set up, operate, and pack their ROVs efficiently, navigating a marine technology training tank to complete various tasks. Beyond the technical challenges, students must also present their ROVs through posters and deliver a compelling sales pitch to the judges. Moffatt highlighted the competition’s role in providing real-world experience and networking opportunities. “It truly is a tangible way to see what a career might look like in marine technology in the ocean and the Great Lakes,” he said. “These students have critical thinking skills, problem-solving skills … these are all transferable when they go beyond the university and choose to move on into their careers.”
Among the competitors, Dulce Bucio and her team, TecXotic, from Tecnológico de Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico, stood out with their ROV, Penta. Bucio expressed the team’s high expectations for their first product demo, marking the 10th anniversary of TecXotic. Penta, a pink and blue ROV, features eight thrusters and a claw that mimics human-like motion, showcasing the team’s innovative engineering.
Benedikt Salecker and his team, U.Stall, traveled from Esslingen University of Applied Sciences in Germany to participate. Salecker emphasized the importance of the competition in bridging cultural and engineering gaps. “I think it’s a great competition and we’re trying to get the art of German engineering to the USA and the MATE competition,” he said. The event also serves as a platform for teams to inspire and learn from each other. “Maybe we can inspire some other teams with our engineering,” Salecker added. “We are hoping to get inspired by the other teams from their engineering and their ideas.”
The sense of community and collaboration was palpable, as teams supported each other through challenges. Bucio shared a heartwarming moment when another team lent them a controller after their own malfunctioned. “All of the people have treated us excellently,” she said. “We just had trouble with a controller that we needed, and we didn’t have a reserve. We almost cried because we couldn’t fix it, but another team lent us that controller. This community of supporting each other and being inclusive and respectful to all the other teams is very special.”
This event not only showcases the latest in marine technology but also fosters a global network of young engineers and scientists. The skills and connections made here could very well shape the future of the maritime industry, driving innovation and collaboration on a global scale. As these students transition into their careers, the lessons learned and relationships forged at the MATE ROV World Championship will undoubtedly leave a lasting impact on the sector.