Whale Fecal Samples Link Ocean Warming to Rising Algal Toxins in Arctic Waters
Rising toxins found in bowhead whales, harvested for subsistence purposes by Alaska Native communities, reveal that ocean warming is causing higher concentrations of algal toxins in Arctic food webs, according to new research published in the journal Nature.Researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) were a part of the multi-institutional, multi-year study that focused on this critical issue, which threatens food security for coastal communities that rely on marine life, including clams, fish, and whales, for food and other resources. Communities in Alaska are now asking researchers
Vard, Inkfish Sign Shipbuilding Contract for New Research Vessel
Vard, the Norwegian subsidiary of the Group and one of the world's leading builders of specialized vessels, has signed a new contract with the US research organization Inkfish for the design and construction of an advanced research vessel. The deal is valued at over USD$233 million (€200 million).The custom-built research vessel, designated Project RV6000, is specifically designed for scientific exploration. It will join Inkfish's expanding fleet, alongside the RV Hydra and RV Dagon, to support global marine research. In close collaboration with host countries, the data collected will
Deep Sea Vision, Deep Ocean Search Enter MoU
Ocean Search (DOS) Ltd entered a Memorandum of Understanding with the US company Deep Sea Vision (DSV).DSV is a deep-water survey company using Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) such as Kongsberg Hugin 6000 able to dive at 6,000msw depth with a track record in the deep ocean space. Through combined efforts to common clients, DSV and DOS can offer AUV and ROV services from the same platform with shared multirole personnel. With Mariner XL, DOS is offering for hire a 6000msw capable WROV which can be mobilized quickly and easily for rapid deployment anywhere in the world: as a launch & recovery
Kongsberg Ramps Up Maritime Defense Production to Meet Growing Demand
Norwegian engineering group Kongsberg is building up production capacity to meet growing orders for its defence products, especially missiles, as European nations bulk up their military spending.Kongsberg, which has customers in defence, aerospace, maritime, energy and fishing industries, booked orders worth 18.18 billion Norwegian crowns ($1.80 billion) in the second quarter, 5% more than last year, it said on Wednesday.The Defence & Aerospace business made up 54% of those, as CEO Geir Håøy said the company was experiencing record-high market activity in the sector.Many European
New AUV Helps Document Critical Minerals
portion of the seafloor in ultra-deep waters near the Mariana Trench.Built by New England-based startup Orpheus Ocean, the small-footprint AUV is advancing understanding of some of the planet’s least explored regions at water depths up to 11,000 meters (6.8 miles).Operationalizing the technology for the first time was part of a mission led by the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI), based at the University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography, with support from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM)
Drones Reveal Extreme Coral Mortality After Bleaching
New research has revealed coral mortality rates of 92% after last year’s bleaching event at Lizard Island on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, marking one of the highest coral mortality rates ever documented globally.The team assessed the impact of the Fourth Global Coral Bleaching Event, declared by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in April 2024, which caused extensive bleaching and mortality across the reef system.Their findings, published in Coral Reefs, used high-resolution drone imagery to map coral bleaching in March 2024, returning in June to assess survival
Fugro Finds Partners for New Subsea Assets Data and Monitoring Platform
Fugro has formed a partnership with DTACT, a high-tech software company, and Ubotica, a specialist in AI-powered satellite intelligence, to develop a data fusion and intelligence platform for critical subsea infrastructure.The solution will be designed to provide government organizations with the information needed to strengthen national security and safeguard critical underwater infrastructure.Underwater pipelines, communication cables, and other subsea assets are essential to modern society, supporting global economies and daily life. Threats to this vital infrastructure can severely disrupt energy
French Wave Energy Firm Closes Multi-Million-Dollar Fundraiser
French company Seaturns has raised $2.9 million to industrialize its wave energy technology and accelerate large-scale deployment.The funding round, carried out primarily through the Keenest platform, also received strong support from long-standing shareholders Team For The Planet and Sébastien Duez, as well as the entry of Lawrence Sigaud, deputy CEO of Seaturns, into the company’s capital.Seaturns’ wave energy technology is designed as cylindrical floater that moves horizontally under the action of the wave swell. The back-and-forth movement is called surge. Using its anchoring
Ocean Infinity’s NeedleFish USV Enters Service for Kuwaiti Coast Guard
by Ocean Infinity is custom equipped with an array of specialist maritime surveillance sensor systems.It leverages the company’s software, advanced robotics, and marine intelligence technology to equip the KCG with a new class of unmanned patrol, surveillance, mapping and surveying capability for its 11,000 km2 of territorial waters, all controlled from KCG’s new purpose-built onshore Command Centers and fully integrated within their new SRT C5iSR maritime surveillance system.“We are excited to see our NeedleFish USV rollout continue this week. This program is another significant
February 2025
