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European Countries Helping Taiwan with Submarine Project

European countries are providing help for Taiwan’s indigenous submarine project, the island’s defense ministry said, in a rare admission that the sensitive program is not getting assistance solely from the United States.Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has worked for years to revamp its submarine force, some of which dates back to World War Two. It is no match for China’s fleet, which includes vessels capable of launching nuclear weapons.The U.S. government in 2018 gave the green light for U.S. manufacturers to participate in the program, a move widely seen as helping

Arctic Rays Launches Imaging Payload for AUVs

Groton, Mass. based Arctic Rays, LLC has released Swordfish, a fully-integrated, geo-referenced, still and video imaging system payload for small autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV).Swordfish comes standard with a 12.3 MP camera, high-output LEDs producing 60,000 lm (strobe) or 6,000 lm dimmable (continuous), on-board CPU and a 512 GB solid-state data drive.  Still images can be captured at 12.3 MP at a rate of 4 Hz.  Video can be captured at 720p HD @ 60fps, 1080p FHD @ 30fps, or 4K UHD @ 10 fps.Arctic Rays said Swordfish is scalable to fit any AUV and customizable per user requests.

BIRNS Introduces New 1V and 1B Coax Connectivity Solutions

Connectors, cable assemblies and lighting systems manufacturer BIRNS, Inc. has introduced its new RF subsea connector contacts.Coax subsea connectors had in the past been challenged in a range of design requirements, in many cases resulting in poor impedance, high losses, and inability to provide open face pressure resistance. BIRNS said its proprietary RF technology has contacts capable of open face pressure ratings to 1433m, UHF insertion loss of ≤0.7 dB at signal frequencies to 3GHz and maximum UHF voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) of 1.7:1.The newest product introductions with these features

Beneath the Waves: Keep Your AUV Safe by Docking Subsea

waters.  As there is such a vast Canadian coastline needing to be monitored, new thinking is required to find the best solution. Having a USV and AUV working together could be it.First stage testing was to dock while still on the surface to prove the system works. Photo courtesy International Submarine Engineering LimitedAcoustic and Visual Tracking“Range 26 meters. On acoustics.” Jason, one of ISE’s electrical engineers, breaks the silence on the bridge of Researcher. He has just received the first data packet from the AUV. It has successfully acquired the dock’s acoustic

Fiber Optic Sensing and Mining an Ocean of Data

, not least across our oceans, where existing cables could offer a new global sensing network. Elaine Maslin reports.Criss crossing between our nations, across channels and between continents are a multitude of cables – some 120 million km of them. Some are pretty old (the first international submarine cable was laid across the Channel, between the UK and France, in 1850). But many laid since the 1980s contain fibre optics and provide the conduits for everything from those YouTube cat videos to stock market data.An increasing number of researchers are now hoping that they can also use these cables

Reach Subsea Adds New Contracts

Norwegian offshore services company Reach Subsea said Tuesday it has recently been awarded several contracts and call-offs under frame agreements.The company said it had won the contracts both alone and in partnership with Sweden's MMT."We now have approximately 800 project days secured for 2021 execution, compared with the 550 days announced in our 4Q 2020 report, which is well above the levels secured at the same time last year," Reach Subsea said.The company said its projects are evenly spread across project types as survey, inspection, and light construction, serving clients within

Forum's Arctic Research ROV Completes Sea Trials

pandemic has postponed some of its current work until next year.Primarily funded by the Canada Foundation for Innovation through Université Laval, the first multidisciplinary expedition of the new ROV this year will allow a contingent of scientists from national research teams to study the marine and coastal environments of the Canadian and Greenlandic waters.“The Comanche 38 will become a flagship equipment of the CCGS Amundsen for many years to come. We anticipate that it will be used in support of several cutting-edge research projects that aim to better understand the biodiversity

Boxfish Luna: New ROV for Underwater Filmmaking

The next-generation Boxfish cinematography drone delivers full-frame, 8K video from 1,000 meters depth.Boxfish Research, New Zealand, manufacturer of underwater remotely operated vehicles, launched its next-generation cinematography drone, the Boxfish Luna, for professional underwater videographers and photographers.Using imaging from Sony and a new 200mm precision optical dome, Boxfish Luna has been completely redesigned to allow filmmakers to perfectly capture underwater environments with brilliant clarity and ease of use.“This new drone was specifically designed for underwater film production

Subsea Defense: Navy Deepens Commitment to Underwater Vehicles

interaction.The most recent edition of the Navy’s Unmanned Systems (UxS) Roadmap was issued in 2018, and a new version is expected in the near future.  The 2018 document states that UxS will operate in every domain; always be an option; and be at their best when teamed with Sailors and Marines“UxS will strengthen naval power at, on, and from the sea by reducing operational risk and cost. UxS operating in the air, on the surface, under the sea, and on shore as a rapidly adaptable and interconnected network will provide access to areas denied to manned platforms, provide better situational

Europe's Offshore Wind Investments to Keep Growing After Record Year

Offshore wind investments in the European Union and Britain in 2020 were more than double the level projected at the start of the year and should continue to grow in 2021, an industry group said on Wednesday.The record 26.3 billion euros ($31.9 billion) invested in offshore wind projects in Europe last year was a figure not expected until 2025, Guy Brindley, financial analyst at Wind Europe, said."The investments we saw in 2020 were a lot higher than what we were expecting for the required build-out at this stage, so it is a very positive number," Brindley said.Final investment decisions

New Recordings of Ultrasonic Seal Calls Hint at Sonar-like Abilities

of bottom time before our hands get too cold to work. Then we make our way back to the dive line. Its flags and blinking lights guide us to our one and only way out.During my deployment to Antarctica in 2018, I participated in 40 such dives to help maintain the McMurdo Oceanographic Observatory. Polar marine biologist Paul Cziko installed the 70-foot-deep, seafloor-mounted recorder in 2017. Known affectionately as “MOO,” it resembled R2-D2 in both looks and charm. For two years, MOO successfully sent continuous audio, video and ocean data back to our onshore lab via cable connection. It also

University of Vermont Orders Hybrid-electric Research Vessel

The University of Vermont has ordered a new research vessel featuring an emissions-reducing electric power and propulsion system.The 64-foot aluminum catamaran, designed by Chartwell Marine and currently under construction at Derecktor Shipyards, will be equipped with a hybrid-electric power and propulsion system supplied and integrated by BAE Systems. The newbuilt is set for launch in April 2022.According to BAE Systems, its HybriGen Power and Propulsion system will help reduce both carbon emissions and the use of fuel by the vessel, which will serve as a floating classroom and lab for students of

NOAA's New Ocean Exploration Ship to Be Based in Newport, RI

agency. Discoverer will be a state-of-the-art ship that operates around the nation and the world to study and explore the ocean.“Discoverer will be one of the world’s most advanced research vessels,” said Rear Adm. Nancy Hann, deputy director for operations for NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) and deputy director of the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps. “From its Rhode Island homeport, this ship will shed new light on unexplored areas of the ocean with the promise of bringing us many exciting discoveries.”When commissioned, Discoverer will replace

ISE Completes Phase 1B of Autonomous AUV Docking Test

International Submarine Engineering Ltd. (ISE) reports that it has successfully completed the second stage in the autonomous dock prototype project. This project is a joint project between Dalhousie University and ISE with funding provided by Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS).The dock provides a platform for an AUV to autonomously latch onto while remaining subsea. Once latched, the AUV can then charge its batteries and download the data for the operators. Then once that is complete, the AUV can unlatch and begin its next mission. This essentially eliminates the risks of launching

BIRNS Launches Ecommerce Capability for NPT Penetrators

BIRNS, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of high performance connectors, cable assemblies and lighting systems, announced its new e-commerce offering for NPT (National Pipe Thread) penetrators on its website.This new capability provides customers an online one-stop shop for BIRNS’ ABS Product Design Assessment (PDA) certified penetrators. Available configurations on the site include sizes P25N-16-RA-LS, P25N-12-RA-LS, P13N-4-RA-LS and P19N-12-RA-LS, available with 4, 12 or 16 conductors. All of the offerings feature low profile 90° configurations, and Low Smoke Zero Halogen-insulated flying

These Tiny Oceanic Creatures Are Essential to Tackling Climate Change

The ocean withdraws about one third of the CO₂ in the atmosphere, mitigating climate change and making life possible on Earth. An important share of this CO2 is removed thanks to phytoplankton, tiny marine creatures that use light to do photosynthesis, just as plants or trees on land. These cells fix CO2 to build up biomass and multiply, and take it down to the deep ocean when they die and sink. Phytoplankton are thus the basis of the marine food chain, and their productivity not only affects CO2 levels, but also fish catch and world economy.So why does phytoplankton go unnoticed to most of us, if

Reach Subsea Working on Unmanned Surface Vehicles for ROV Ops Support

, as shared by Reach Subsea:•Dedicated unmanned, self-propelled remotely and autonomously operated ROV mother vessel of approx. 25 m overall length. •Robust maritime and subsea equipment with high reliability and long maintenance intervals •Onshore control room facilities for both marine and ROV operations •Semi-autonomous ROV for survey and inspection tasks •Hull-mounted survey sensors •Optimised hydrodynamic properties for excellent data acquisition and subsea positioning performance •Focused on ROV operability in an extended weather window vs. peers 

MacArtney supplies a 12-unit turnkey solution for the Danish EPA

MacArtney recently supplied a 12-unit turnkey solution for the Danish  Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a solution that featuries three different water sampler configurations in dedicated frames, helping to document marine conditions in Danish waters.The solution comprises a high-tech toolkit for measuring Danish waters, enabling EPA's oceanographers to measure a full range of parameters:CTD – Conductivity, Temperature, DepthFluorescenceYellow matter (CDOM)Dissolved oxygenPAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation)The CTD is one of the most commonly used tools in an oceanographer'

Oceaneering Donates ROVs to Global Ocean

US-based ocean science nonprofit Global Oceans, has acquired, via a donation from Oceaneering, three deep-sea exploration vehicles rated to6000 meters of operational depth.The donation includes the Magellan 725 ROV, the Ocean Discovery ROV, and the Ocean Explorer 6000 Towed Sonar System, together with the infrastructure needed to deploy the vehicles including winches, cranes, power systems, operational modules, workshops, and supplies."These vehicles contributed to several historic projects, including the successful recovery of the lost Apollo “Liberty Bell 7” space capsule from the

Putting Power on the Seabed: Edging towards a Subsea Powerhouse

wind power and even hydrogen into the offshore energy mix.Subsea transformers could be used as gathering stations for offshore wind power, reducing platform maintenance, says Mæland. Having subsea power distribution could also support seabed mining operations and the increasing move to autonomous marine systems, which would need power. Integrating batteries and offshore wind would need subsea control systems, and this is something ABB is also working on.Photos from ABBSiemens close to qualifiedAnother JIP was run by Siemens Energy to deliver 6 MVA of power over 200km and distribute it locally, is

Climate Change is Flooding the Arctic with Light – and New Species

Arctic will affect the ecosystem is concerning, but there are also unpleasant questions for researchers. If much of the information we’ve gathered about the Arctic came from scientists stationed on brightly lit boats, how “natural” is the state of the ecosystem we have reported?Arctic marine science is about to enter a new era with autonomous and remotely operated platforms, capable of operating without any light, making measurements in complete darkness.© Standard Primitive / Adobe StockUnderwater forestsAs sea ice retreats from the shores of Greenland, Norway, North America and

Chile's Underdeep Solutions Adds Another Falcon ROV

Chile's Underdeep Solutions has expanded its ROV Fleet with a third Seaeye Falcon ROV, to support its aquaculture workUnderdeep’s latest Falcon is the second 1000m deep-rated version for the company, which specializes in fish farm inspection and support throughout Chile and the region.Underdeep's three Falcons are currently working at full capacity in the aquaculture facilities of the major aquaculture company, Salmones Camanchaca.In addition, Underdeep Solutions has been working for several years in the removal of structures from the Salmones Camanchaca concessions, as requested by

Arctic Warming Cascades Through Ocean and Over Land

The Arctic region has had its second-warmest year since 1900, continuing a pattern of extreme heat, ice melt and environmental transformation at the top of the world, scientists reported Tuesday.In the 15th annual Arctic Report Card, released by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), researchers detail the stark ways in which climate change is altering the long-frozen region.“Taken as a whole, the story is unambiguous,” Alaska-based climate scientist Rick Thoman, one of the report's editors, said in a statement. “The transformation of the Arctic to a

WMU PhD Candidate Ambrose Wins Goldman Environmental Prize

into effect in January 2020 and can be considered a model for Islands and Island States worldwide.Ambrose joined WMU in September 2020 to undertake a PhD focused on plastic pollution as part of the WMU-Sasakawa Global Ocean Institute’s Closing the Circle capacity development and research program on marine debris, Sargassum and marine spatial planning in the Eastern Caribbean. The program is underpinned by generous funding from The Nippon Foundation of Japan and supports six PhD students undertaking advanced academic research on overcoming the challenges associated with marine debris in the Caribbean

SASEMAR, ASCM Recover Wreckage of Aircraft Crashed Off Spanish Coast

The Spanish Maritime Safety and Rescue Society in cooperation with ACSM, the Spanish provider of subsea services, have this week recovered the wreckage of a light aircraft Piper PA-34 Seneca, which fell into the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of delta de l'Ebre, close to Tarragona in Spain, at a water depth of 113 meters.Together with the aircraft, the SASEMAR/ACSM recovered the body of one of the pilots and return it to the family.The light aircraft disappeared from the radar on the November 3rd, 2020 during a standard route between the Ibiza Island and Reus, the capital of Baix Camp, in

50 Years from Now: Perspectives from Marty Klein

"50 Years From Now" was published in the Oceanology International 50th Anniversary Edition published by Marine Technology Reporter. Here we present insights from one of the legends in the field, Martin Klein. (*Editor's Note: This was written prior to the COVID-19 pandemic)Martin Klein Looks Back:“When I started my business, I had no background in management and I would seek help from people I admired. One of the things I wrestled with was if and how to make long range plans. At a lunch at one of the ocean conferences I asked one of my mentors his thoughts about long-range plans.

On the Bookshelf: Diving the Thistlegorm: The Ultimate Guide to a World War II Shipwreck

he is the Director of the Underwater Archaeology Research Centre. With specific research interests in submerged prehistoric settlements and developing underwater survey techniques, he has directed underwater projects in the UK, Poland, Greece, Italy, Egypt, Jamaica and Malaysia. Alex Mustard is a former marine biologist and award-winning underwater photographer. In 2018 he was made an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for “Services to underwater photography”. Mike Postons pioneered the use of digital 3D modelling to visualise shipwrecks, as well as the processes of reconstructing

EcoLight AZFP Buoy to Monitor Light and Under-Ice Zooplankton

occurring in polar regions, the overall goal of the ABES buoy deployments is to demonstrate how Arctic ecosystems may change as snow, ice type and thickness change in the future. Changes in the light field under the ice affect large-scale ecosystem structure and biochemical functioning of the Arctic marine environment. The consequences of changes in light penetration impact phytoplankton blooms and in-ice algal growth and this in turn impacts feeding opportunities throughout the food web.A key instrument integrated into the ABES is an ASL Environmental Sciences Acoustic Zooplankton Fish Profiler (AZFP)

Technology: New Manta Underwater Camera

Arctic Rays, LLC has released Manta HD, a small HD-IP or HD-SDI underwater camera.  The Onvif profile S compliant Manta HD camera is capable of a resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30 fps (1080p30 full HD), features a 30x optical zoom and on-board recording to an SD card.  An additional connector is offered to provide power and control for an external pan & tilt or light.The camera measures 82.6mm (3.25in) diameter by 198mm (7.8in) long with connector and weighs 1.21 kg (2.67 lbs) in air and .34 kg (.75 lbs) in seawater. Housed in a 6061-T6 AHC aluminum housing with acrylic lens, it is rated

New HD-IP or HD-SDI Manta Camera Released

Arctic Rays, LLC has released Manta HD, a small HD-IP or HD-SDI underwater camera.  The Onvif profile S compliant Manta HD camera is capable of a resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 30 fps (1080p30 full HD), features a 30x optical zoom and on-board recording to an SD card.  An additional connector is offered to provide power and control for an external pan and tilt or light.The compact design measures 82.6mm (3.25in) diameter by 198mm (7.8in) long with connector and weighs 1.21 kg (2.67 lbs) in air and .34 kg (.75 lbs) in seawater. Housed in a 6061-T6 AHC aluminum housing with acrylic lens, it is

Soil Research Unearths Collecting Point for Plastics

in mangrove sediments as a major plastic sink.”Plastic waste is durable. t does not degrade fully, but rather, accumulates in the environment over time. These properties have long been at odds with the low concentrations of plastic found in surface waters. Recent research has shed light on how marine organisms ingest a small portion of global plastic waste. And it is widely reported that marine plastics wash up on global shores in large quantities. But these forces still do not account for the vast majority of plastic that has been released into the environment over the decades.The scientific

Seabed Imaging Re-imagined

accidents. The end result for either method is usually extensive, lengthy post-processing on the vast amounts of gathered data.A new, 3D deep-sea imaging system, developed by the University of Southampton, with support from Sonardyne, under the Natural Environment Research Council’s OCEANIDS Marine Sensor Capital “BioCam” program, has gone a long way to resolving these challenges.During its first 24-hour deployment, a BioCam fitted to an Autosub6000 autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), from the UK’s National Oceanography Centre (NOC), mapped more than 50 times the area of

Hydromea Launches LUMA X, Wireless Underwater Optical Modem

Hydromea launched a new patent-pending subsea wireless communication modem LUMA X. The LUMA X can beam data using light at up to 10 Mbit/s with a 120-degree cone. With that, the LUMA X enables real-time streaming of HD-quality video and 4K images wirelessly through water – allowing the operators of autonomous underwater vehicles to monitor its interventions from the comfort of its control rooms onshore.“The wide-angle beam gives subsea vehicles connecting via the LUMA X a lot of freedom of movement,” said Felix Schill, co-founder and CTO of Hydromea. “The small size of the

Subsea Technology and the New Routes to Residency

Efforts to increase remote capability often go hand in hand with increasing ROV residency. But exactly what form residency takes is diverging. Elaine Maslin takes a look.Dial back the clock five years and there was a movement towards an idea dubbed subsea resident remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). The idea, in simple terms, is that you increase ROV availability and reduce cost and carbon emissions by having the vehicle permanently based subsea in underwater garages. A number of vehicles could even cover a cluster of fields, potentially with different owners who can dial up, on demand, a vehicle when

Interview: RDML Gallaudet Steers NOAA’s Path Toward Uncrewed Maritime Systems

health and conservation by the public. There’s an increased awareness about the dependence of our security and our economy on the oceans. People simply care a lot more (today).• A growing awareness of the necessity for sustainable use of our oceans, which includes everything from fisheries, to marine transportation, to critical minerals and pharmaceuticals. Using that same time frame, put in perspective the evolution of unmanned maritime systems as you see it.To start, just this week we’ve decided we are going to move from the word ‘unmanned’ to ‘uncrewed.’

The Ocean's Microplastics Mess: Technology & Technique to Identify & Clean Up

The science and technology surrounding discovery, mitigation and clean-up of microplastics in the world’s environment makes this year’s “MTR100.” Here we offer insights on the organizations, people and technologies taking the lead.As marine journalists, scientists, technologists, activists and enthusiasts, we are aware of the large-scale impact that consumer macro-plastic products have on aquatic ecosystems. Ranging from plastic bags and straws to bottles and fishing nets, these materials pollute harbors, rivers, lakes and oceans, all while threatening the prosperity of wildlife

Subsea Mining: The Race is On, But Effects are Unclear

Mining the ocean floor for submerged minerals is a little-known, experimental industry. But soon it will take place on the deep seabed, which belongs to everyone, according to international law.Seabed mining for valuable materials like copper, zinc and lithium already takes place within countries’ marine territories. As soon as 2025, larger projects could start in international waters – areas more than 200 nautical miles from shore, beyond national jurisdictions.We study ocean policy, marine resource management, international ocean governance and environmental regimes, and are researching political

Ocean Influencer: Karl Kenny, Kraken Robotics

The July/August edition of Marine Technology Reporter, the 15th Annual "MTR100", recognizes Karl Kenny and his Kraken Robotics team for moving forward fast on the evolution of subsea technology and business.Karl Kenny and Kraken Robotics are on a mission to revolutionize the way business is conducted subsea. It’s about high-quality data, collected, delivered and analyzed more regularly, liberally shared among a disparate group of stakeholders, from science to commerce to military. It’s about tossing out old norms and embracing different ways of doing business.Underwater vehicle

Ocean Explorer Finds WWII Submarine off Hawaii

A veteran ocean explorer and his team have employed advanced underwater technology to discover and scan World War II submarine USS S-35 (SS-140) offshore Hawaii.This is the 7th US WWII submarine found by Tiburon Subsea CEO Tim Taylor and his "Lost 52 Project" team. This recent discovery utilized pioneering robotics and methods at the forefront of today's underwater technology. The explorers applied a combination of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), remotely operated vehicles (ROV) and advanced 4D Modeling photogrammetry.The USS S-35, built at the end of WWI, launched in 1919 and

Scientists Discover First Methane Seep in Antarctic Sea Floor

Scientists have discovered an active methane seep from Antarctica's sea bed that could shed light on the potent greenhouse gas trapped beneath the frozen continent.Marine ecologist Andrew Thurber first glimpsed what a colleague described as a "microbial waterfall" during a dive in the icy waters of the Ross Sea in 2012. What looked like a superhighway of white patches on the ocean floor were clusters of tiny organisms drawn to the methane leak."My first thought was 'wow,' and I was immediately enamored with what this means for science," said Thurber, an assistant

Salvors Outline Plan to Recover Titanic's Telegraph System

Marine salvors on Wednesday outlined plans to recover the Marconi wireless telegraph from inside the RMS Titanic after being cleared by a U.S. judge in May to retrieve a piece of history from the world's most famous shipwreck.Originally scheduled to embark on the mission to recover the system this summer, the private company with exclusive rights to salvage artifacts from the ship announced it has shifted its expedition to spring/early summer of 2021 to abide by ongoing travel restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic."The safety of our crew, ports where we conduct business and foremost the

Swathe Services Takes Delivery of SBG Ekinox Navsight INS

. It is suited for shallow water applications and comes at a good price, the manufacturer says.James Williams, Managing Director at Swathe, says, "Since we became the distributor for SBG Systems we have seen as steady increase in sales across all their product ranges selling into land, air and marine industries. The Navsight solution has been specifically designed for hydrographic applications and is symbiotic with all Sonars offering ethernet or RS232 connectivity. We now own a number of SBG sensors which we offer out to customers for trial and invite interested parties to contact us."

Geo Plus Takes Delivery of New Survey Vessel

Dutch shipbuilder Royal Niestern Sander has delivered the hydrographic survey vessel ‘Geo Ranger’ to Geo Plus, after 14 months of constructing, installing, commissioning and testing.The vessel last month successfully passed its sea trials on the river Ems.The ship was designed together with Conoship International BV and will be rented out by Geo Plus to parties that perform research, such as dredging companies and companies that build and maintain offshore wind farms. The 41 meters long, 8.7 meters wide  DP2 Geo Ranger is equipped with two high-class Azimuth stern thrusters and

NORBIT Wins Contract in Aquaculture Space

Norway-based marine technology specialist NORBIT has won a contract with an existing customer within the aquaculture market."We are very pleased to be awarded a repeat order from this customer, proving the value of our product," says Per Jørgen Weisethaunet, CEO of NORBIT.The value of the contract is approximately NOK 10 million (USD $1 million) and the order is expected to be delivered during the second half of 2020. The order falls under the company's Oceans segment. NORBIT did not say who the client was, nor what exactly the scope of the delivery was.NORBIT in 2018 establish

Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind Installs Wind LiDAR in New Jersey

A wind LiDAR (light detection and ranging) instrument has been installed alongside the causeway leading to Rutgers University Marine Field Station in Tuckerton, New Jersey.The fully autonomous sensor platform, owned and operated by Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, will provide observations of wind profiles up to several hundred feet in a location directly on the land/sea boundary.Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind, a joint venture between Shell and EDF, installed the LiDAR in collaboration with the Rutgers University Center for Ocean Observing Leadership (RUCOOL) and the Rutgers University Marine Field

Scripps Institution of Oceanography: 3D-printed Coral Are Natural Producers of Biofuels

Researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, alongside the University of Cambridge, UK, have 3D printed coral-like structures capable of growing dense microscopic algae populations. The work is aimed at the development of compact, efficient bioreactors for producing algae-based biofuels and could lead to a better understanding of the coral-algae relationship, with the hopes of establishing techniques to repair and restore reefs.Author Daniel Wangpraseurt, whose work was published April 9, 2020 in Nature Communications, explained, “Cor

Norway's Carbon Capture and Storage Project Estimated to Cost $2.6B

Norway's ambition to build a full-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) chain could cost around $25 billion crowns ($2.58 billion), including operating costs for ten years, an economic analysis showed on Thursday.The International Energy Agency (IEA) says CCS technology will be crucial to limiting global warming, helping to decarbonize industries such as cement production, but opponents say it could prolong the use of fossil fuels.Norway, Western Europe's largest oil and producer, wants to prove that the CCS technology can work by capturing CO2 at two industrial sites and storing it under the

Using High Res 3D Meshes for improved Shape Reconstuction of Marine Survey Data

is beneficial anywhere that accurate shape reconstruction is of utmost importance. This can apply when proper identification and measurement of features is critical to risk management, and to a greater extent in situations where there will be close interaction with the surveyed objects. When performing marine salvage, construction, or asset inspection, it is critical to have the most comprehensible and accurate representation of the data.These applications highlight the differences between historical usages of mesh structures, and the new techniques now being introduced. Representations such as triangulated

Scripps Institution of Oceanography: 3D-printed Coral Are Natural Producers of Biofuels

Researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego, alongside the University of Cambridge, UK, have 3D printed coral-like structures capable of growing dense microscopic algae populations. The work is aimed at the development of compact, efficient bioreactors for producing algae-based biofuels and could lead to a better understanding of the coral-algae relationship, with the hopes of establishing techniques to repair and restore reefs.Author Daniel Wangpraseurt, whose work was published April 9, 2020 in Nature Communications, explained, “Cor

ABB's Hybrid Power and Propulsion for Færøysund Live Fish Carrier

by clean shore power connected via ABB technology, will enable emission-free operation.“This is a very sophisticated live fish carrier whose energy efficiency contributes to sustainability in the food supply chain it serves and in its working environment,” said Sindre Sætre, head of ABB Marine & Ports business in Norway.  “Building on years of ABB experience in hybrid power solutions, we are proud to make a first delivery for a ship of this specialized type. The order also adds momentum to the shift towards green technologies being seen across the marine sector.”ABB&rsquo

WHOI: Ocean “Pumped” to Capture More Atmospheric Carbon

While scientists have long known the essential role that the ocean plays in capturing atmospheric carbon, a new study from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) shows the efficiency of this natural pump has been underestimated.The ocean’s “biological pump” is a critical part of the global carbon cycle and relies on phytoplankton, single-cell organisms that use photosynthesis to turn light into energy—consuming carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen in the process. When phytoplankton die or are eaten by zooplankton, carbon-rich fragments sink into the ocean, then consumed by

Austrlia DST Chooses Sonardyne's BlueComm

Australia’s Defense Science and Technology Group (DST) has acquired a BlueComm undersea communications system from Sonardyne International Ltd. as part of its ongoing program in maritime autonomous systems (MAS).BlueComm is the only commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) technology that enables wireless transmission of high bandwidth tactical data, including video, over ranges of a few tens or even hundreds of meters, at rates of up to 10 megabits per second.With it, forces can vastly increase the communications capability of their underwater systems to drive faster, safer and better-informed decision

Pandemic Offers Scientists a Chance to 'Hear' the Oceans

listening stations around the world – including six stations that had been set up to monitor underwater nuclear tests.“Well, we’re not excited that COVID happened, but we’re happy to be able to take advantage of the scientific opportunity,” says Peter Tyack, a professor of marine mammal biology at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland and one of the early instigators. “It would have just been impossible any other way.”Tyack says the recordings should give scientists a never-before glimpse of the ocean with little human interference. It’s a bit like looking

WFS, SES Team Up in Subsea Cable Protection Space

WFS Technologies (WFS) and Subsea Energy Solutions (SES) have joined forces in the space of condition monitored cable protection systems for the offshore energy industry.The collaboration will see WFS utilize its smart wireless Seatooth technologies, which provide real-time insight in extreme environments, with SES’s offshore cable and subsea umbilical, riser, and flowline protection systems.In a statement on Tuesday, the firm's said the aim was to help the offshore energy industry further extend asset life and boost productivity by reducing costs and increasing efficiencies.Philip A.R.

Hybrid AUV Completes Depth of Burial Survey for Offshore Wind Farm

Modus Seabed Intervention completed a high speed bathymetric and depth of burial survey of the inter array cable routes on the innogy operated Gwynt-y-Môr offshore wind farm, using the Modus HAUV-2 (Hybrid Autonomous Underwater Vehicle) .The Gwynt-y-Môr Offshore Wind Farm comprises 160 Siemens 3.6MW WTGs located approximately 8 miles from the North Wales coast in Liverpool Bay in water depths ranging between 12m and 28m.  The WTG’s are connected by 161 inter array cables which total circa 147km in length. The worksite is known for high subsea currents, so any solution had to

Forum ROV Completes Trials for Vietnam Navy

completed harbor trials for the Vietnam Navy. The vehicle is the compact derivative of the XLX work class ROV, and is a heavy-duty work class hydraulic ROV with a depth rating of 4000m, outfitted with cameras, lights, altimeters and sonars.The Perry XLX-C will be used to support the Vietnamese’ submarine rescue vehicle in its operations during assessment and preparation of a site for a submersible rescue. The XLX-C is fitted with Forum’s latest technology and can deliver specialized equipment, including an Emergency Life Support System, to a distressed submarine. It was supplied with an Emergency

Siemens Gamesa Launches 14MW Offshore Wind Turbine

Wind turbine maker Siemens Gamesa has unveiled a new SG 14-222 DD offshore Direct Drive wind turbine with 14-megawatt (MW) capacity.The capacity can reach up to 15 MW using the company’s Power Boost function, a 222-meter diameter rotor, 108-meter long blades, and a 39,000 m2 swept area.The 14 MW capacity allows one SG 14-222 DD machine able to provide enough energy to power approximately 18,000 average European households every year. Approximately 30 SG 14-222 DD offshore wind turbines could furthermore cover the annual electricity consumption of Bilbao, Spain, Siemens Gamesa said."Offshore

Equinor-led Group Approves Northern Lights CCS Project

A group of European energy companies led by Norway's Equinor agreed on Friday to develop jointly a facility beneath the North Sea to store carbon dioxide storage, a technology that helps in the fight against climate change.The Northern Lights carbon capture and storage (CCS) project, a partnership with Royal Dutch Shell and Total, is expected to cost 6.9 billion Norwegian crowns ($675.23 million), Equinor said in a statement.The project is still subject to final approval by Norwegian authorities.CCS technology includes pumping heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the air and injecting it into undergrou

USS Nevada Shipwreck Located

beneath the surface about 65 nautical miles southwest of Pearl Harbor, researchers said Monday.The USS Nevada (BB-36), which served in two world wars over the course of a career that spanned more than three and a half decades, was discovered by underwater and terrestrial archaeology firm SEARCH, Inc. and marine robotics company Ocean Infinity at the bottom of the Pacific.The mission was jointly coordinated between SEARCH's operations center and one of Ocean Infinity's vessels, Pacific Constructor. Pacific Constructor set sail for a range of commercial tasks in the Pacific in early 2020, ahead of

Challenges of Underwater Structure Monitoring for Offshore Operations

As the global energy industry enters a period of increased offshore deepwater exploration driven by economic viability, the demand for international underwater monitoring services looks set to strengthen into the new decade. According to a report from TechSci Research1, the value of global underwater monitoring services for the oil and gas sector is projected to grow from around $1billion in 2018 to $1.8billion by 2024.With an increasing focus on improving efficiencies throughout the global energy sector, the installation of subsea structures on the seabed can pose complex and costly challenges if