The Nordic operation brings to the Swiss group systems installed on 600 vessels and knowledge to integrate control, energy and on-board data

A system capable of collecting signals from engines, generators, electrical systems, and cargo handling equipment, interpreting them, and providing the crew with a coordinated view of the ship's operation. It is at this level, increasingly central to modern shipping, that ABB has decided to strengthen itself by acquiring the Norwegian Høglund AS, a specialist in naval automation based in Tønsberg.

The agreement announced on June 26, 2026 provides for the acquisition of the global activities of Høglund, currently controlled by Eitzen GroupThe transaction is expected to close in third quarter of 2026, subject to customary regulatory approvals. Financial terms were not disclosed. Once the transaction is completed, the Norwegian company will be integrated into the division ABB Marine & PortsThe perimeter includes over 80 employees distributed between Norway, Poland, Romania e China.

The industrial value of the acquisition lies not only in the expansion of the portfolio. Høglund already uses this technology for its own Integrated Automation System (IAS) ABB architecture hardware, specifically the 800M and S800 control platforms. The merger brings together two companies that have long been working on compatible components, at least partially reducing the gap that normally separates the acquisition of a company from the effective integration of its technologies.

A digital brain coordinates the devices installed on board

On a modern ship, automation isn't just a single device. Propulsion, power generation and distribution, pumps, auxiliary systems, cargo management, alarms, and safety devices generate thousands of signals that must be acquired and coordinated. Integrated Automation System It performs precisely this function: it brings together in a common architecture monitoring, control and supervision activities that would otherwise remain distributed among different subsystems.

The platform developed by Høglund is modular and scalable and can handle configurations ranging from a few hundred to several thousand signals. The system integrates data from, among other sources, motors, electric generators, and cargo equipment. This capability allows operators to observe the interdependencies between different components and intervene in ship management through a coordinated control environment.

This issue becomes particularly relevant when a fleet must upgrade vessels built many years ago. In the naval sector, a ship's life cycle is much longer than that of the electronics and software installed on board. Components that are still mechanically efficient can therefore coexist with controllers, interfaces, and supervisory systems that have become obsolete or difficult to maintain. Automation must allow these parts to be replaced without necessarily requiring the entire infrastructure to be overhauled.

Høglund works on both new builds and retrofit of existing unitsA recent case concerns the cruise ship Bolette, built in 1988 by Fincantieri, on which a previous ABB AC450 system was replaced in 2026. The intervention involved approximately 5.400 input and output signals and 19 technicians, with an operational window of a few weeks before sea trials and the ship's return to passenger service.

Experiences like this help explain ABB's interest: it's not just about selling components for new vessels, but about overseeing the entire life cycle of automation equipment. In a global fleet composed of vessels of widely varying ages, configurations, and origins, the ability to modernize existing systems without indiscriminately replacing all the hardware represents a specific industrial expertise.

From the origins at ABB to over 600 installations worldwide

The technological relationship between the two companies has distant roots. Høglund Marine Automation was founded in 1993 by the engineer Kåre Høglund, after previous professional experience at ABB. The initial idea was to develop proprietary software for automation, monitoring, and control using standard hardware from the Swiss group. The first significant contract came in 2004, when the company employed six engineers and programmers at its Tønsberg headquarters.

Since then, the company has expanded its activities from control solutions to energy systems and operational data analysis tools. Today, its technologies are present on over 600 ships in the world. In 2025 Høglund recorded revenues close to 30 million euroThe company has most of its staff in Norway and also maintains operational presences in Galați, Romania, Wuhan, China, and Gdynia, Poland.

The company remains relatively small compared to ABB, which employs approximately 110.000 people worldwide, but the acquisition adds a vertical specialization that can be immediately leveraged in commercial shipping. The common thread is the integration of automation, electrification, and software: three components that are becoming increasingly interdependent on new generations of ships.

“The Høglund system is based on ABB technology and we look forward to becoming part of ABB and continuing to advance marine automation for the benefit of customers,”

said Peter Morsbach, Chief Executive Officer of Høglund.

The technical continuity mentioned by Morsbach is a concrete element of the operation. For ABB, it means acquiring not only customers and engineering expertise, but also software and knowledge built on a hardware foundation the group knows firsthand. For Høglund, however, the integration offers access to the geographic presence, support network, and industrial capabilities of a global supplier.

Automation and electrification increasingly interdependent

The transformation of naval energy architectures increases the number of variables to be controlled. A ship can combine conventional engines, generators, batteries, electric propulsion systems, port network connections, and, in some applications, fuel cells or alternative fuels. Coordinating these sources requires a level of oversight that goes beyond simply turning equipment on and off.

Il Power Management SystemFor example, it must help maintain a balance between electricity production and consumption, managing priorities, loads, and the availability of different sources. The IAS, on the other hand, allows this information to be linked to that from the ship's other systems. It is the integration between the two levels that allows for a more complete representation of operating conditions.

The data thus takes on a practical function. Recording events and alarms allows us to reconstruct what happened before a failure, identifying sequences that can be difficult to interpret during an emergency. Høglund uses, for example, a function called Playback, developed to allow operators to review the history of onboard events and signals. In the event of a power outage or malfunction, the history can help identify the source of the anomalous sequence.

Integrated automation can also impact energy efficiency. The simultaneous availability of data from engines, generators, and utilities allows for analysis of how energy is produced and used during different operating profiles. This doesn't mean the software automatically reduces consumption: the result depends on the vessel's configuration, operating modes, and operator decisions. However, a consistent database makes measurable phenomena that isolated systems would be more difficult to correlate.

This direction is consistent with ABB's maritime operations, where the group combines automation systems with electric propulsion, energy management, batteries, and AC and DC architectures. The acquisition of Høglund adds to this structure a platform specifically developed for the integration of the various equipment installed on board.

The acquisition also targets the naval retrofit market

Høglund's presence on over 600 units also constitutes an installed base that generates maintenance, upgrade, and service needs over very long periods. In commercial shipping, where a vessel can remain operational for decades, the relationship with the customer continues long after initial delivery. Hardware, software, interfaces, and control systems must be updated while the vessel continues to generate value.

For ABB, this means expanding opportunities in the services and modernization market as well as in new construction. The group's international network can increase the support capacity of Høglund solutions in areas where a smaller supplier would inevitably have a lesser direct presence.

“Høglund's marine automation portfolio will complement ABB's existing offering with proven, scalable solutions that support our growth ambitions,”

said Rune Braastad, President of the ABB's Marine & Ports division.

The transaction is also part of a broader strategy whereby ABB uses targeted acquisitions to add complementary technologies to its core competencies inbusiness and business development fieldIn the maritime sector, the group had already expanded its portfolio with expertise in power conversion and electrification, while the integration of Høglund specifically affects the level of control and coordination of the systems.

The transaction still has one step to complete. The agreement has been signed, but closing is still expected in the third quarter of 2026 and is subject to the required authorizations. Until then, Høglund will continue to operate as a subsidiary of Eitzen Group; integration into the Marine & Ports structure will only become effective upon completion of the acquisition.

The industrial significance of the operation is already evident in the complementarity of the two architectures. ABB brings global scale, hardware, electrification, services, and international presence; Høglund adds software, applied engineering, and over thirty years of experience in naval systems integration. In a vessel where propulsion, energy, cargo, and auxiliary equipment produce growing amounts of data and are increasingly interdependent, control of the infrastructure that connects them becomes a key component of shipping's technological competitiveness.

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