Hydrographic Services

Acteon Acquires Proserv’s Field Technology Services

Subsea services group Acteon announced on Monday it has acquired Proserv’s field technology services (FTS) business unit, including its surveying capability. The exact terms of the transaction were been disclosed.The services and facilities of the FTS business, which offers cutting, friction stud welding and pipeline maintenance services from bases in Stavanger (Norway), Houma (USA), Singapore and Aberdeen (UK), will be integrated into Acteon under the Claxton brand. The survey business unit will join Acteon’s existing UTEC Survey business, an independent global surveying company.Richard

MAN in Global Service Deal with Wallem

German solution provider to the marine and energy sectors, MAN Energy Solutions (MES) has signed a Global Key Account Management contract with Hong Kongbased Wallem Group.The contract covers the supply of spares and services to MAN main engines, generators and turbochargers aboard vessels managed by Wallem, the provider of technology-driven maritime solutions.According to a press release from Augsburg-based MES, the global agreement covers all offices of the Wallem Group and provides access to a dedicated global and local key account manager from MAN PrimeServ, MAN Energy Solutions’ after-sales

MPA Celebrates World Hydrography Day

In celebration of World Hydrography Day themed “Hydrographic Information Driving Marine Knowledge” this year, Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) hosted the East Asia Hydrographic Commission working committee meetings in Singapore.The World Hydrography Day celebration event was held at Fort Canning, Singapore on June 28, 2019. "Singapore’s port is over 700 years old. Our rich history dates back to the early 14th century when Singapore was establishing itself as a free trade port. Today, we have grown into a global hub port, the largest transshipment port in the

NORBIT DCT – Hydrographic Survey Made Easy

With the increasing number of maritime operations worldwide, more and more hydrographic surveys are required to be conducted. This exerts a demand for hydrography providers with survey capabilities ranging from single-beam to multibeam echosounders, sub-bottom profilers, lidar, and magnetometers. The developed markets with a long history of bathymetry and hydrography surveys are well prepared to serve the increased demand with professional hydrographers, equipment and software support. However, in emerging markets and developing countries, the professional hydrography market requires a different

iXblue Wins OWF Survey in France

by developer EOLFI to conduct the geophysical survey of the future Groix & Belle-Île pilot floating wind farm located in the South of Brittany, off the west coast of France.The survey, which began earlier this week, will last for about five days and will be conducted by a crew of five iXblue hydrographic surveyors and geophysicist engineers on board the company’s hydrographic research vessel FeliX.“Our vessel has been designed and manufactured by our own shipyard and survey division, which means it has been specifically tailored for the particular requirements of MRE [marine renewable

Kraken Sets Up Unmanned Vehicles Facility

and investment in both military and commercial markets,” said Karl Kenny, Kraken’s President & CEO. “While most of the today’s global UMV market is military, the adoption trend of UMVs is increasing among various commercial sectors such as oil and gas exploration operators, hydrographic and oceanographic survey organizations, environmental monitoring and search/recovery teams. UMVs are also being adopted by various scientific research organizations for conducting oceanic studies and maritime surveys.”COVE CEO, Jim Hanlon, said, “We are now seeing a revolution in unmanned

Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE Winner Annouced

;s entry into the competition was funded by The Nippon Foundation, a Japanese private non-profit organisation, and the prize money will be reinvested by foundation into the development of future ocean mapping initiatives.The team venture was based at the Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping / Joint Hydrographic Center (CCOM/JHC) at UNH. The Alumni worked closely with partners including the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Hushcraft Ltd., Ocean Floor Geophysics Inc., Earth Analytic, Teledyne CARIS, Raitt Orr and Associates, ShipOwners, and OmniAccess, as well as equipment supplier Kongsberg Maritime AS, to

UK Hydrographic Office Names Chief Executive

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has appointment of Rear Admiral Tim Lowe CBE as its new Chief Executive and Accounting Officer.Lowe joined the UKHO as National Hydrographer and Deputy Chief Executive in 2015. In January 2019, he was made Acting Chief Executive, leading the UKHO’s transformation to become a modern marine geospatial information agency and hydrographic office.This included overseeing the opening of the UKHO’s award-winning office and championing key projects that have helped government, academia and the wider marine community make the best use of our oceans in safer, more

Ocean Infinity to Support Shell Survey

US based seabed survey and ocean exploration company Ocean Infinity announced it will support Australian marine survey company Guardian Geomatics on an extensive hydrographic project for Shell.The project, which is planned to commence in June 2019 will be run from Ocean Infinity’s vessel Seabed Constructor and will collect hydrographic data over an area in excess of 800 square kilometers, using up to three Ocean Infinity unmanned surface vessels (USVs), the company said.Guardian Geomatics, based in Perth, services the offshore oil and gas and renewable markets, with a footprint across Australia

Valeport Launches New Environmental Range

profiles up to 200 metres, in a single instrument.  “2019 is an exciting year for Valeport with a number of new and upgraded products coming to market," said Guy Frankland, Valeport Marketing Manager. "We’re committed to innovating and leading the way in support of the hydrographic and oceanographic survey sector and are delighted with the reception the new Environmental range received at Ocean Business.”www.valeport.co.u

McLane IFCB Helps in Rust Tide Study

enable automated protection of juvenile shellfish that are especially vulnerable while growing within nursery systems. Moreover, the team seeks to develop C. polykrikoides bloom forecasting ability through image-based assessment of cell division and accumulation rates, water temperature, and other hydrographic observations. Finally, the program will establish automated, end-user customized notification networks for dissemination of vetted HAB abundance estimates to regulators, farmers and other stakeholders.PI Dr. Daniel Ward of Ward Aquafarms and Dr. Michael Brosnahan of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Unique Group Debuts New Survey USV

Unique Group, a provider of  services and solutions for the offshore, subsea and life support industries, has designed and developed its first Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) called Uni-Cat.With proven hydrographic survey capabilities, the Uni-Cat can be used effectively for bathymetry survey offshore and in shallow waters, claimed a press release from the integrated subsea and offshore solution provider."It is ideal to be used in locations where conventional survey methods are not feasible," the release said.The Uni-Cat USV is purpose built with a long-lasting battery and the endurance

Kongsberg to Equip Belgian Research Vessel

in October 2020.Launched in 1984, RV Belgica carried out many years of service, however, emerging mechanical issues in 2013 catalyzed plans to build her replacement. Kongsberg Maritime’s delivery for the new vessel is based on a substantial integrated subsea package, comprising scientific, hydrographic, geophysical, SSBL and GNSS positioning systems. Kongsberg  will also deliver a full sensor integration solution in addition to various third-party systems, to ensure efficient and sustainable operations.The Kongsberg series of Simrad scientific systems, including the EK80 wideband single-beam

C-Automation Buys Proserv Drilling Services

Aberdeen-headquartered controls technology company Proserv has agreed to sell its drilling services business (TIC) to pressure control systems specialist C-Automation.The divested business will now trade as C-Automation Services, said a press release. The financial terms of the deal are undisclosed.As a part of the sale agreement, Proserv and C-Automation will work in partnership to offer shared products and services. Proserv will supply its drilling controls products, including its Gilmore branded valves and field-testing equipment, while C-Automation will provide welding, electrical, piping, flushing

EOM Offshore Acquires Ocean Tech Services

Oceanographic technology and marine services provider EOM Offshore announced Tuesday it has acquired the assets and operations of the New Jersey-based marine services provider Ocean Tech Services.Ocean Tech Services has a decade of experience in the offshore renewable energy industry and increases EOM Offshore’s capabilities by providing metocean data collection solutions, subsea remote sensing and offshore logistics. Together, EOM Offshore’s mooring solutions technology development and Ocean Tech Services’ offshore operations capability provide a solution for customers requiring

DMO Orders Damen Expeditionary Survey Boat

Damen Shipyards Den Helder (DSDH) and the Netherlands’ Defense Material Organization (DMO) procurement agency have signed a contract for the design, build and delivery of a prototype Expeditionary Survey Boat (ESB).The craft will be optimized for rapid environmental assessments and hydrographic surveys in harbors, river mouths, shallow waters, coastal areas and shipping channels.The craft will be manned by four persons; two to crew the boat and two technicians to operate the hydrographic equipment, and will be able to spend up over 60 hours continuously at sea at her survey speed of

African Project Win for Teledyne CARIS

Teledyne CARIS will deliver a full software solution to the South African Navy Hydrographic Office. The solution, provided through Teledyne CARIS’ official distributor Unique Group, includes software that will be implemented as part of a larger project to be executed by Southern African Shipyards (SAS) where a new hydrographic survey vessel is being built. Three additional survey motor boats are also slated for manufacture, all of which will be equipped with HIPS and SIPS to process acquired hydrographic data. During the project, the shore based South African Navy Hydrographic Office

SBG Systems Unveils New IMU

Inertial motion sensing solutions provider SBG Systems has released the Horizon IMU, a FOG-based high performance inertial measurement unit (IMU) designed for large hydrographic vessels surveying harsh environments.Navsight Marine Solution consists in a powerful and ready-to-use inertial navigation solution dedicated to hydrographers. It is available at different levels of accuracy to meet the various application requirements and can be connected to various external equipment such as Echo-sounders, LiDAR, etc.Navsight Marine Solution already offered two levels of performance with the Ekinox and Apogee

TenneT Contracts Fugro for UXO Services

Geo-data specialist Fugro announced Tuesday it has been awarded a multimillion dollar contract from TenneT to provide integrated unexploded ordnance (UXO) services at an offshore wind farm development in Dutch coastal waters. The contract follows previous involvement in route survey activities at the site.Fugro said it will use DP2 multipurpose vessel Atlantis Dweller for the contract. The vessel is permanently equipped with a work class remotely operated vehicle (ROV), providing fast and safe identification of potential UXOs. Other technology includes a sub-bottom imager which can reduce dredge scope

Maersk Supply Service Wins Total Contract

Maersk Supply Service said it has fixed the newbuild subsea support vessels vessel (SSV) Maersk Involver for 161 days to support maintenance of the DAN F platform located offshore Esbjerg for walk-to-walk and accommodation services. The contract is expected to commence start-April 2019.Delivered in November 2017, the Stingray class Maersk Involver features DP3 station keeping capabilties and 120 modern single cabins. The vessel has been outfitted with an Ampelmann E-type active motion-compensated gangway system and pedestal, as well as a boat landing to perform personnel transfer via crew transfer

Australia Searching for Lost WWII Destroyer

went down but its exact location has proved elusive,” Rear Admiral Mead said.The Royal Australian Navy believes there is strong chance HMAS Vampire’s final resting place has been identified as the result of research by Australian and Sri Lankan hydrographers in recent months.The Australian hydrographic ship HMAS Leeuwin and mine hunter HMAS Diamantina are in the region to assist with a more thorough search.“There are no guarantees of success but we owe it to the families of those on board to follow up this new lead,” Rear Admiral Mead said.He continued, “Whatever the outcome

DOF Subsea Tallies Multiple Contracts

DOF Subsea announced Tuesday it has been awarded various contracts, securing utilization for vessels in the subsea inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR) projects segment.The company said its Atlantic region has been awarded a contract by the Norwegian Mapping Authority regarding hydrographic services for the MAREANO 2019 program. The specialized survey and IMR vessel Geograph will be deployed on the project that is expected to last until late fall.DOF Subsea said it has also been awarded a contract by Siemens on the Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Project in the North Sea. The contract will

UKHO Contracts with TCarta

TCarta Marine was contracted by the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) to provide a baseline dataset of water depths and seafloor classification around the Republic of Kiribati. Located in the Pacific Ocean, the island nation is threatened by rising sea levels.TCarta won the open bid for supply of Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB) to the UKHO to extract water depth measurements and seafloor classifications, including habitat types, from multispectral satellite imagery. In this project, TCarta is processing eight-band DigitalGlobe WorldView-2 and -3 data predominantly, as well as four-band

OiA '19 & GEBCO Seabed 2030

spent my entire professional career involved with ocean mapping, the opportunity to now help promote the need, to rally resources and help to get it done, is personally very satisfying.”Following an introduction in which RDML Shepard Smith will provide some background on how NOAA, as a national hydrographic authority, is incorporating Seabed 2030 into its plans and strategies, the floor will then be handed over to six panellists who will each deliver a short presentation elaborating upon various aspects of Seabed 2030, its connection to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development and

Kongsberg on board South African Navy Survey Vessels

Kongsberg Maritime, through its Cape Town-based business partner Unique Hydra (Pty) Ltd, has been selected to deliver a cutting-edge integrated hydroacoustic and bridge system technology package for The Replacement of the SA Navy Hydrographic Capability Project.Kongsberg technology will be used on a state-of-the-art new Hydrographic Survey Vessel being built by Southern African Shipyards (SAS) in Durban. Due for delivery in 2022, the new 95 meters long, 17.5 meters wide ship is billed as one of the most complex vessels to be built in South Africa and will replace the SAS Protea, which has been in

AML Equips New Swedish Research Vessel

or extra work,” explained Daniel Bergman Sjostrand, Oceanographic Engineer at SMHI.AML said the contract was secured through its local agent in Spain, Casco Antiguo.MVP systems have been provided to organizations around the world seeking to reduce the technical and financial unpredictability of hydrographic and ocean science surveys. Due to strong demand for the solution, AML has expanded its Nova Scotia operations and relocated to a new customized production facility to accommodate a higher volume of MVP builds

3D Mobile Laser Scanner for ABP Humber

ABP Humber continues to increase their technology for Hydrographic surveying in their ports and harbors with the purchase of a new Carlson Merlin Lidar Scanner supplied by Swathe Services.The Merlin is a vessel-based 3D mobile laser scanner system developed specifically for coastal, offshore and inland waterway surveying. ABP Humber intends to use the system for quay wall inspections and surveying offshore structures.The Merlin is designed to integrate with existing hydrographic systems to simultaneously produce an accurate dataset of the environment above the waterline while a Multi-Beam Echo-Sounder

OSRL Launches UAV Services for Members

Oil Spill Response Ltd (OSRL) has expanded its member offer with the launch of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) service. The new service aims to enhance preparedness and response capabilities to better support members’ needs in the event of a spill.To facilitate the service on a global basis, and to ensure the shortest time to mobilization, OSRL has signed ‘call-off agreements’ with a number of third-party UAV providers around the world. Launch partners for the service include Bristow Aerial Solutions, Sky-Futures and Vertical Horizon Media. Each partner has been selected based on

C-Enduro Delivered to Royal Navy

L3 ASV has announced the successful delivery of a long-endurance autonomous vessel known as the C-Enduro to the Royal Navy. The C-Enduro will be used for military data gathering trials by the Mine countermeasures and Hydrographic Capability (MHC) program as the Navy seeks to exploit autonomous technology.The 4.8-meter autonomous vessel is equipped with 10 sensors combining scientific and hydrographic survey equipment. The vessel operates using L3 ASV’s proprietary control system, ASView, and is fitted with L3 ASV’s advanced autonomy package, ensuring situational awareness and smart

i-Tech Services Expands in Houston

i-Tech Services, a Subsea 7 company, said it has taken on 13 new people in Houston following a 12-month period which saw the office secure a series of new contract awards in the Gulf of Mexico. The expansion grows the regional team by 25%.Recent contracts included vessel charter renewals and the provision of custom engineering solutions for subsea flow assurance and inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) workscopes, the company said in a press release on Monday.Edward Galloway, Regional Director, Gulf of Mexico for i-Tech Services, said: “Despite the challenging market conditions, we enjoyed a

Global Marine Group Buys Stake in Rovco

Group (GMG) to bring intelligent inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) solutions to the global offshore market.GMG, made up of three business units - Global Offshore, CWind and Global Marine - has secured a 13.8% share in the Bristol and Aberdeen based remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and hydrographic services business. The partnership will see both companies work together to deliver a range of subsea solutions aimed at improving data acquisition.Rovco’s latest development, SubSLAM, which replaces visual video inspection with live 3D reconstruction technology, to obtain an accurate picture

NNHO Expands Bathymetric Capabilities

Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office establishes new bathymetric capabilities with CARIS softwareThe Nigerian Navy Hydrographic Office (NNHO) has selected Teledyne CARIS to provide solutions for both current and future national and international charting requirements. Equipped with CARIS Ping-to-Chart technology, the NNHO is establishing new capabilities for bathymetric analysis, and completion of hydrographic and other geospatial data. These tools will ensure an efficient workflow for the production of electronic charts and paper charts according to both the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO)

Offshore Service Market to Outspace Onshore Shale

Spending on the offshore service sector will outpace spending on the onshore shale sector this year, said Rystad Energy.According to Rystad's Oilfield Service Research report, service companies exposed to the offshore subsea market and the maintenance, modifications and operations (MMO) sector are set to benefit from this trend reversal.At current oil price levels, spending on land rigs, fracking and other services for the shale industry is likely to stay essentially flat in 2019. The offshore service market, too, will feel the effects of the recent oil price slide, but this sector is nevertheless

Ocean Infinity to Conduct AUV Surveys for Petrobras

U.S. based seabed survey and ocean exploration company Ocean Infinity announced Wednesday that its Brazilian partner has been awarded a contract to provide high-resolution hydrographic mapping services to Brazilian national oil company Petrobras.Working under contract to Brazilian offshore consulting company Cepemais, Ocean Infinity will go to work in the the Campos, Espirito Santo and Santos basins offshore Brazil, mapping an area of 5,000km2 and inspecting 12,000km of pipelines. Work will commence in mid-2019, and the contract duration is for three years.Ocean Infinity will operate a fleet of

SISTAC: Brazil´s Homegrown Subsea Service Provider

Sistac is an established local offshore service provider in two subsea areas (ROV and Diving), along with its distinguished position as a pioneer in rope access services, which only enhances their value and importance to the national offshore growth effort. Marine Technology Reporter spoke to Felipe Gutterres, CEO of Sistac about is history and operations in Brazil.Gutterres joined Sistac in 2016. He is the former CFO, Investor Relations Director and International Board Member of Wilson Sons Limited – one of the largest listed port and maritime logistics providers in Brazil – where he held

New Research on Gulf of Mexico Loop Current

the Loop Current Campaign: Data Compilation to Improve Understanding, Simulation and Prediction of the Loop Current SystemThis project will design, develop, deploy, and maintain an information system to digitally compile, update, analyze, and make publicly accessible physical oceanographic and hydrographic data from Gulf of Mexico Loop Current field studies. The system will be an important component of future data compilation efforts for a long-term LCS research campaign. Award Amount: $647,813Project Director: Barbara Kirkpatrick (Gulf of Mexico Coastal Ocean Observing System Regional Association)Projec

Full-Depth Current Profiling Around the Global Ocean

in how deep currents take part in the global climate system. Especially important are the changing heat and CO2 content of the deep ocean.Methods for observing the deep sea below the upper seasonal layer are established. For measuring deep currents, scientists worldwide attach compact ADCPs to hydrographic packages. These packages are routinely lowered to the seabed to catch water samples and to measure water properties.In this report we look at various findings from LADCP work around the global ocean. LADCP measurements were initially looking at deep currents in equatorial regions and in tropical

3D at Depth Expands

a wealth of experience with a career that spans over 21 years’ in the offshore oil and gas industry. Over this period, he has held onshore and offshore positions with Subsea 7, UTEC Survey, Nautronix and latterly Proserv where he acted as the Survey Operations Manager. His expertise in the hydrographic survey, acoustic positioning, inertial navigation and data processing areas, will support the advancement and commercialization of new technologies to meet client's needs within the region

US Marine Corps Awards UUV Contract to L3 OceanServer

focused on supporting the Marine Corps’ total mission profile,” said Daryl Slocum, General Manager, L3 OceanServer. “We have incorporated their direct feedback into two of our vehicle platforms, the Iver3 and Iver4, to build a premier product that supports nearshore and very shallow hydrographic surveys.”The Iver is an open platform and often the vehicle of choice for development programs interested in designing and testing new behaviors to be used across the fleet. Many of the recent Mine Countermeasure (MCM) behaviors and Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) algorithms were originally

Acteon Acquires Deepwater Corrosion Services

Acteon Group Ltd has acquired subsea corrosion specialist Deepwater Corrosion Services Inc. in a move to strengthen the group's ability to help customers manage the integrity of subsea infrastructure throughout the life of a field.Deepwater has designed, built and installed more offshore cathodic protection systems than any other company and provides corrosion investigation and subsea inspection services. It operates from facilities in the U.S., the U.K., Brazil, Norway and Australia.Acteon said the acquisition broadens its technical knowledge of corrosion engineering, problem solving and retrofit

Admiral Tim Lowe to Head UK Hydrographic Office

a world-leading marine geospatial information agency. It is an exciting time for our team as we transition to a data centric, digital first organisation whilst continuing to deliver on our wide spectrum of responsibilities, including our obligations to support safe passage in UK waters, provide hydrographic services to our Defence customers, work closely with our international partners and play an active role across government to unlock the potential of marine data.”The Minister with responsibility for the UKHO, Earl Howe, Minister of State for Defence, said: “I would like to thank John for

Swathe Services Provides New Product to ABP Humber

Swathe Services has announced a new bespoke custom Peli-case product which has been designed to fit the surface components of an R2SONIC Multi-Beam Echo-Sounder (MBES) SIM box and Inertial Navigation System.  This product is specifically designed for use in open boats such as ABP Humber’s 5 meter RIB.  The Peli-case incorporates all the required bulkhead connectors for external cable fittings; an inverter for operating off a DC battery power and a shrouded cooling system.  As part of this small boat solution, ABP Humber also purchased a bespoke designed and built transom transducer

UK Hydrographic Office Taps Lowe as Chief Executive

The U.K. Hydrographic Office has announced the appointment of Rear Admiral Tim Lowe CBE, the current U.K. National Hydrographer and Deputy Chief Executive, to the position of Acting Chief Executive and Accounting Officer.  Rear Admiral Lowe will fill the role whilst a permanent replacement is sought for John Humphrey, the current Chief Executive and Accounting Officer of the UKHO, who will leave at the end of January 2019.Lowe is a Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy and joined the UKHO as UK National Hydrographer and Deputy Chief Executive in 2015. In his role, he has led a number of key projects for

Rovco Awarded Funding for 3D Visualization Project

Remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) and hydrographic survey company Rovco predicts its integrated technology that utilizes advanced 3D computer vision and artificial intelligence (AI) systems with ROV platforms could transform the way offshore inspections are carried out and reduce costs by millions each year.The U.K. based firm, which has been working to advance the technology, has recently been awarded further funding by the U.K.’s innovation agency, Innovate UK, to develop the next stage of its integrated live 3D vision and AI survey technology.The funding will support the project's

i-Tech Services Wins IMR Contract

i-Tech Services said it has secured its first inspection, repair and maintenance (IRM) contract for the vessel MMA Pinnacle with a Malaysia-based integrated oil and gas services company, following the signing of a long-term vessel charter agreement in the Asia Pacific region earlier this year.The work scope for the 30-day campaign ranges from the provision of general visual inspection (GVI) services through to changing out subsea hardware in water depths of 1,400 meters, using the vessel’s 150-metric-ton crane.Mobilizing in Singapore, the MMA Pinnacle has been fitted with a range of i-Tech

Jamaica Updates Hydrographic Information

Jamaica has begun upon updating hydrographic charts in key maritime developmental areas to improve coastal navigation, marine infrastructure works and other maritime activities, with assistance from the UK Government.United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has conducted hydrographic surveys of Kingston Harbour and its Approaches and Portland Bight as part of the UK Government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office initiative – the Commonwealth Marine Economics Programme (CMEP).Welcoming the data, MAJ Director General, Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Peter Brady, who is also chair of Jamaica’s

Rovco Grows Its Team

Remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) and hydrographic survey company Rovco said on Wednesday that it has established a dedicated business development team to support its growth plans as it looks to increase its presence in key international markets.Brian Allen, CEO of Rovco, said, “The expansion of our business development team is in direct response to increased activity across both the oil and gas and renewable energy sectors, and is a key step forward in our ambitious plans to increase our workforce over the next 12 months.Paolo Cattaneo, Brett Laurenson and Alex Pretty collectively

UK Hydrographic Office Wins National STEM Inspiration Award

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has been awarded Highly Commended at the STEM Inspiration Awards, in recognition of their outstanding commitment to encouraging young people into science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers.According to a press statement, held at the House of Lords on November 1, and attended by guests across industry, education and government, the STEM Inspiration Awards, organised by STEM Learning, celebrated the work of individuals and organisations in inspiring young people into STEM careers. Finalists in the large employer category included Nissan, Just Eat, Legrand

Ocean Infinity Orders Five HUGIN AUVs

Hydrographic and geophysical survey company Ocean Infinity has placed three separate orders for a total of five Kongsberg Maritime HUGIN autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) Systems, increasing its inventory to 15.Kongsberg Maritime said the AUVs are supplied with its latest generation HISAS 1032 synthetic aperture sonar, giving Ocean Infinity a total of six HUGINs with the ability to deliver high resolution imaging in its fleet.HISAS generates high resolution range independent imagery and full swath bathymetry. Coupled with the other sensors on board, the HUGIN AUVs produce a data set including HISAS

Next-Gen Autonomous Survey Vessels

to create the next generation of autonomous vessels for the commercial survey market.The partnership brings together the expertise of both companies for the joint development of a variety of fit-for-purpose unmanned surface vessels (USVs). Delivery of the first USV, designed for medium- to large-scale hydrographic survey applications, is scheduled for Q2 2019.“We believe that over time a significant portion of our marine business can be optimized through the use of autonomous and remote technology, and we are very excited that we have reached an agreement with L3 ASV,” said Wim Herijgers, Director

Seabed 2030 Meeting Held in Stockholm

measurement techniques. In total, the meeting identified numerous sources of new bathymetric data. The combined area of these contributions in terms of square kilometers will be announced later this year.Organizations presenting details on their mapping efforts to the group included the Canadian Hydrographic Service; the Danish Geodata Agency; the Italian Ministry of Defense; the Norwegian Hydrographic Service; the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency; Italy’s National Institute of Oceanography and Experimental Geophysics; Fugro; Kongsberg Maritime; TE Subcom; the Geological and Mining

Subsea Global Solutions Acquires Muldoon Marine Services

Commercial diving company Subsea Global Solutions (SGS) said it has acquired Muldoon Marine Services (Muldoon), a commercial diving firm based in Long Beach, Calif."This is an exciting day for the SGS family as this acquisition will further solidify our position as the market leader in underwater ship maintenance, repair and marine construction solutions both locally in California and abroad," said Paul Peters, Chief Executive Officer of SGS. "Muldoon has been operating in the Long Beach area and nearby ports for 30+ years with a solid track record and an exceptional customer service

Rovco Buys a Falcon DR ROV

U.K. subsea services company Rovco said it has expanded its remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) and hydrographic survey capabilities with the addition of an electric Saab Seaeye Falcon DR ROV to its fleet.The 1,000-meter depth rated, long-range Falcon DR will enhance Rovco’s ability to deliver intricate and demanding missions that require a variety of high bandwidth sensors, either at depth or over long distances, the company said.The Falcon DR marks a £200,000 investment for the firm and is part of its expansion program. As well as its commercial use, it will support Rovco’s

L3 ASV to Conduct UK Autonomous Navigation Study

L3 ASV has announced that it has received U.K. government funding for a pioneering project on autonomous navigation of maritime vessels. The company will conduct a study with its partners in the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) and United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), focusing on the future of marine navigational data and charts. The project is funded by the Department for Transport’s Transport Technology Research Innovation Grant (T-TRIG) and aims to promote early-stage science, engineering or technology innovations with the potential to advance the U.K.’s transport system.

Angola’s New Fishery Research Vessel Delivered

government and it currently employs over 100,000 people in both commercial and artisanal fishing.The Baía Farta, a Damen FRV 7417 type vessel ordered in July 2016 and officially launched in November 2017, is equipped for the full range of fisheries research and assessment activities including hydrographic operations, acoustics research, pelagic and demersal trawling, plankton, water, environmental and geographical sampling, oil recovery and emergency towage operations, the shipbuilder said.The Baía Farta has been built to Silent-A/F/R Class notation standards. To maximize her effectiveness

Teledyne CARIS to Present at Hydro 18

of experts and learn how to keep pace with the volumes of data generated by modern survey operations, ensure it is of suitable quality, and turn it into more information products to support our oceans. Space is limited in this information session, so register early to ensure your seat.‘Advancing Hydrographic Data Processing through Machine Learning’ on October 30, 5:30 p.m. presented by Burns Foster, Manager of New Product Initiatives, Teledyne CARIS. Attendees will learn how this newly assembled machine-learning algorithm is being used to automatically identify and classify common types of

Sonardyne Acquires Chelsea Technologies Group

The terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.“Chelsea, like Sonardyne, is a U.K.-based, privately-owned, technology driven company with a deep understanding in software and sensor development,” said Sonardyne Managing Director John Ramsden. “They have strong footholds in shipping, hydrographic and ocean science markets, which complement our capabilities. In addition, Chelsea operates in the water environmental, process control and defense markets. We believe there are exciting opportunities for us in these sectors, which will be part of our future growth.”“We will remain

20’ WAM-V Delivered to XPrize Finalist TeamTao

container for shipment,” said MAR representative Kurt di Sessa. “We’re proud that we were able to design, prototype, test, and deliver that solution on schedule to support their XPrize bid.”Marine Advanced Research is planning a production run of 20’ WAM-Vs configured for hydrographic survey and oceanography, starting in 2019. The WAM-V is an innovative class of watercraft from 8’ to 150’ that can be tasked with port surveillance and security, UAV & UUV deployment and retrieval, MCM (Mine Countermeasures), nodal communications, benthic operations survey, maritime

UK Hydrographic Office to Maximize Geospatial Data

Government invests $6.55 million to help the UK Hydrographic Office and partner bodies on Geospatial Commission maximize the value of location-based information.Location-based information or geospatial data, is an increasingly valuable tool for businesses and public-sector organisations. The government’s Geospatial Commission, announced in 2017, has been established to improve the quality of key, publicly-held data and make it easier to access and use.By doing so, it is estimated the commission will unlock up to £11 billion of extra value for the U.K. economy each year.As one of the 6

Swathe Services Takes Over as HYPACK Distributor

Swathe Services will take on responsibility for sales and maintenance of HYPACK software solutions in the U.K. and Ireland following the closure of HYPACK’s U.K. partner Del Norte Technology.U.S. company HYPACK – A Xylem Brand is a supplier of hydrographic survey and data processing software for single beam, multibeam, side scan sonar and many other applications in the hydrographic survey and dredging industries.Swathe Services, the Cornwall, U.K. based hydrographic survey services company specializing in Multi-Beam Echo Sounder (MBES) surveying, takes over HYPACK distributor duties for