Mainstay AS and Hughes Pumps Join Forces to Strengthen Net Cleaning Performance

Mainstay AS is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Hughes Pumps, a name well known across the maritime and marine engineering sectors for high-performance pump systems. The collaboration brings Hughes Pumps' engineering expertise directly into Mainstay's net cleaning technology, reinforcing the performance and reliability of the Mainstay Manta ROV in demanding aquaculture environments.

A Partnership Built on Shared Standards

Mainstay and Hughes Pumps share a common approach to engineering: build for the conditions operators actually face, not just the conditions in a spec sheet. Aquaculture net cleaning puts equipment through sustained high-pressure operation, biofouling, and constant exposure to seawater — and the pump at the heart of the system has to perform reliably through all of it.

By integrating Hughes Pumps' D300 pump technology into the Manta platform, Mainstay is able to offer operators a net cleaning solution that combines proven pump engineering with purpose-built ROV design — giving fish farms and service providers a system engineered end-to-end for the job.

What This Means for Operators

Consistent cleaning power. The D300 pump is designed to maintain performance under continuous operation, supporting the Manta's ability to deliver thorough, even net cleaning across full cage cycles. Reduced downtime. Pairing established pump engineering with Mainstay's ROV platform is aimed at fewer unplanned service interruptions during operation. A single point of support. Customers get a net cleaning solution backed by two companies with deep experience in their respective fields, rather than having to source and integrate pump and ROV separately. Looking Ahead

This partnership reflects Mainstay's broader approach to product development: work with proven specialists rather than trying to build every component in-house, and let that focus show up in the performance operators see on the water. As Mainstay continues to expand its footprint across international markets — including Iceland, the UK, Canada, Chile, China, Australia, and the Middle East — the Hughes Pumps collaboration adds another layer of confidence to the Manta's ability to perform in demanding, high-fouling environments.

A Constant Focus on Quality Control

The partnership is built on more than product performance — it's built on trust in how that performance is achieved. Hughes Pumps maintains a constant focus on quality control that runs through every stage of construction, from purchasing and manufacturing to checking and testing. Nothing reaches the field without being held to that standard first.

This attention to quality shows up in the details: components sourced to exacting specifications, manufacturing processes monitored at every step, and rigorous checking and testing before any pump is approved for use. It's this discipline — applied consistently rather than only at final inspection — that gives operators confidence the D300 will perform reliably, cycle after cycle, in the harsh conditions aquaculture demands.

For Mainstay, this shared commitment to quality is exactly what makes Hughes Pumps the right partner: a pump system that's engineered to the same standard of reliability that goes into every Manta platform.

Investing in R&D: Built for What's Next

The partnership isn't only about today's product lineup. Hughes Pumps is actively investing in R&D to develop new pump technology, with a particular focus on adapting systems for the growing use of robotics in ultra-high-pressure applications. As ROV-based cleaning and inspection become standard practice across aquaculture and marine industries, pump systems need to evolve alongside them — built specifically for integration with robotic platforms rather than adapted after the fact.

This forward-looking development work aligns directly with Mainstay's own product roadmap, ensuring that as the Manta platform evolves, it continues to be powered by pump technology engineered for the next generation of robotic net cleaning — not just the current one.

Mainstay and Hughes Pumps look forward to a long-term collaboration focused on giving aquaculture operators equipment they can rely on, cycle after cycle.