RS AQUA

We are ocean scientists and marine industry professionals. We are curious, ambitious, collaborative by nature, and always here for our customers. Based in Portsmouth, England, we have operated in the UK and globally for over 40 years.

As part of the General Oceans group, RS Aqua has a shared commitment to growth, innovation and class-leading technology. Paving the way for an exciting future, we are focused on sustainable discovery, exploration and advancement of the ocean enterprise.

Our History

1982: First steps

In 1982, whilst most people’s imaginations were drifting off towards distant galaxies on the cinema screens, two ocean enthusiasts believed the real mysteries were much closer to home. That vision led to the creation of ‘Wardle & Scrivens Ocean Systems Ltd.’, a company that supplied oceanographic instruments that enabled scientific research and laid the groundwork for decades of advancement.

How Ocean Tech has changed since 1982

1999: In with the new

Under the new name ‘RS Aqua’, we began selling the first iteration of the legendary WaveRadar Rex. Later down the line, the wave measurement device that helped keep ships, ports, and moorings safe for over 20 years was replaced by WaveRadar Rex2 – a smaller, lighter, and more power-efficient sensor. To this day, it remains just as reliable and trusted by marine professionals around the world.

Explore WaveRadar Rex2

2016: Sound it out

RS Aqua entered the passive acoustic monitoring market with the five-channel Orca recorder. Hot on its heels, the compact, single-channel Porpoise would follow in 2018. Project Marlin is our latest breakthrough in underwater sound technology. Powered by AI, Marlin will enable automatic, real-time identification of marine species such as whales and harbour porpoises, as well as vessel activity in the area.

Explore Porpoise

2019: Room with a view

Relocating to Port Solent enabled us to establish a dedicated R&D workshop separate from our main offices. This move gave us the opportunity to develop new products across more sectors than ever before. ARC (Acoustic Release Canister), for example, is a piece of telemetry equipment that has provided marine scientists with a way to conduct studies more easily, safely, and with greater environmental responsibility.

Explore ARC

2021: Feeling fresh

With an expanding product portfolio that now included underwater ROVs and AUVs, wave buoys, directional hydrophones and more, we knew we needed a stronger digital presence. In 2021 a new, simpler website was unveiled, alongside a refreshed look for the brand – with colours inspired by our coastal environment in Port Solent, and cleaner graphics which help to highlight our wide-spanning markets, whilst remaining distinctly RS Aqua.

Explore all our products

2024: All systems GO

In the next chapter of our journey towards understanding our blue planet, RS Aqua was acquired by the General Oceans group – pairing us with new partner companies from across the globe, along with exciting opportunities for collaboration. Together, we are setting sail for a new era of exploration and innovation.

General Oceans acquires RS Aqua

Meet the team

  • Martin Stemp

    Managing Director

    Martin focuses on sustainable strategic growth and leadership, as well as constant development of our products, processes, and people.

  • Terry Edwards

    Technical Director

    Terry and his team offer pre and post sales technical support for all of our products and services. Terry also manages our Datawell Service and Calibration Centre.

  • Dr Ryan Mowat

    Director of Innovation & Business Development

    Ryan leads on R&D and the environmental monitoring work we do with the fisheries, aquaculture and ocean ecology sectors.

  • Phoebe Chadwick

    Head of Scientific and Technical Sales

    Phoebe leads our fisheries and acoustic monitoring portfolio. Recently promoted to Head of Scientific and Technical Sales, she is driving commercial success while ensuring close alignment between sales, marketing and operations.

  • Charlotte Swanton

    Commercial Operations Director

    Charlotte is responsible for leading the company’s operational function and delivering a major new systems programme for future growth. Working closely with all stakeholders to embed efficient processes, high-quality data, and scalable ways of working that enhance customer experience and commercial performance.

  • Max Fedoroff

    Ocean Science Technology Graduate

    Max begins his career in ocean science by bringing fresh knowledge to our sales team, focusing on oceanographic sensors.

  • Nick Mortimer

    Creative Lead

    Nick is responsible for our branding strategy, content creation, and social media presence.

  • Kirsten Robinson

    Marketing Executive

    Kirsten is our marcomms specialist with 8+ years experience in marketing. A seasoned jack of all trades, Kirsten defines marketing strategy whilst assisting in content creation, event management and digital marketing.

  • Louise Horn

    Logistics and Compliance Lead

    Louise is our logistics and compliance expert, keeping us in check wherever she can.

  • Jenny Puszkar

    Commercial Systems & Operations Executive

    Jenny is an integral part of our sales team, making sure our orders are processed efficiently and correctly

  • Rachel Richards

    Assistant Accountant

    Rachel ensures all our accounting and finance is up to scratch and supports our senior management team with budgeting.

  • Victoria Wain

    Commercial Operations Executive

    As part of the operations team, Victoria is responsible for our customer service.

  • John Peters

    Ocean Systems Technician

    John joins the technical team's day to day operations, whilst supporting system designs and integration, product demos, R&D activities and more.

  • Vamsi Karnam

    Lead Systems Engineer

    Vamsi is the primary Embedded Systems engineer working on Project Marlin. He designs the hardware and software system, firmware, and network architecture for Marlin systems to be able to run Machine Learning algorithms on the Edge.

    • Join the Team!

    View our careers section to find out more

    Careers

Join the team

Working at RS Aqua means getting hands-on with ocean technology in a fast-moving, purpose-led industry.

From engineering and operations to sales, support and marketing, our team helps connect scientists, researchers and marine professionals with the tools they need to better understand the underwater world.

Current Vacancies

Don’t see a role that fits you? We’re always happy to hear from people interested in joining RS Aqua. Get in touch and tell us what kind of role you’re looking for. If something lines up with your experience, we’ll let you know.

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Talk to one of our advisers

Get in touch with us for further information or for a conversation about any of our innovative and reliable ocean technology systems, sensors or services.

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