GEOxyz expands autonomous vessel operations with new French facility
GEOxyz has signalled its growing commitment to the French market at a pivotal moment, as offshore energy development along the Atlantic seaboard is accelerating. The company is positioning itself to capture a greater share of that by opening a new French regional office in Auray, Brittany. The GEOxyz Bretagne facility, located in the Toul Garros business zone, became operational in March 2026. GEOxyz is a leading European provider of marine survey, offshore renewable energy support, and maritime data services.
For an industry watching consolidation and geographic expansion reshape the competitive landscape, GEOxyz's Brittany foothold is a telling indicator of where growth is heading. The Auray facility spans 600m² and comprises large open-plan offices alongside a dedicated hangar capable of accommodating two survey vessels – a 7.6m vedette and a 3.8m flat-bottomed craft – as well as the full range of specialized equipment required for hydrographic, geophysical and geotechnical survey operations. The move to Auray represents a relocation and significant upgrade from the company’s previous French base in Saint-Philibert, also in the Morbihan. The new facility also reinforces GEOxyz’s growing uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) capability in France, a market the company identifies as a key growth area.
GEOxyz currently operates four USV models across different size classes, covering a wide range of survey applications from nearshore to fully offshore environments. In addition, the company is actively developing a larger, next-generation USV model entirely in-house, further demonstrating its commitment to innovation in autonomous maritime technology.
Atlantic offshore energy sector
Brittany sits at the heart of France’s offshore energy ambitions. The Saint-Brieuc wind farm, which is a 496MW installation and the first offshore wind project off the Breton coastline, is already fully operational, and several major floating wind projects in southern Brittany are advancing through the development and tender pipeline. France has set an ambitious target of 18GW of offshore wind capacity by 2035, with the Atlantic coast forming a central pillar of that strategy.
“Brittany is emerging as a cornerstone of France’s offshore energy ambitions. By establishing a dedicated local presence here, we can serve our clients faster and more effectively, drawing on our deep expertise in hydrographic, geophysical and geotechnical surveys, as well as our fleet of specialist vessels. This facility is a natural evolution of our commitment to the French market and to the broader Atlantic offshore energy sector,” commented Patrick Reyntjens, CEO of GEOxyz.
GEOxyz is already actively engaged in France, having recently been concluded a contract by Eiffage Métal to support the installation of floating offshore wind turbines as part of the Éoliennes Flottantes du Golfe project. The new Bretagne office will serve as a permanent operational hub, providing proximity to clients, shorter mobilisation times, and a locally embedded team with deep knowledge of the regional maritime environment.
The Auray office joins GEOxyz’s growing international network, which spans Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States, Norway and – most recently – Namibia, where the company opened its first African branch in May 2025. GEOxyz is also actively expanding its presence across the Asia-Pacific (APAC) and Latin American (LATAM) regions. With a fleet of over 30 specialist vessels and USVs, and more than 700 experts operating across four continents, GEOxyz continues to position itself as the reference partner for high-quality marine data acquisition worldwide.
The Bretagne team will offer the full breadth of GEOxyz’s services, including hydrographic and geophysical surveys, geotechnical site investigations, renewable energy support, crew transfers and USV operation.
