DISCOVER Ocean Observing Prizes Awarded
Eleven winners were announced in the first “DISCOVER” stage of NOAA and the U.S. Department of Energy's Powering the Blue Economy: Ocean Observing Prize, a competition designed to spur technology innovation, allow for easier and cheaper data collection across the 80% of the world’s oceans that remain unexplored, and contribute to the growth of the blue economy.“The United States can harness science and technological advances to increase our understanding and effective management of the ocean environment at a level of detail and geographic scale never before possible,”
Kraken Debuts Ultra High Def Upgrade for AquaPix Imaging Sonars
echoes.Kraken measures resolution in real-world conditions using a data-driven technique, developed by Kraken’s team of sonar scientists. The measured resolution of 1.9 x 2.1 cm includes effects such as aperture shading to reduce sidelobes, UUV nonlinear motion, and acoustic propagation in the ocean environment.In mine warfare, it is well-known that the probability of detecting and classifying a target increases with improving image resolution. A similar principle applies for commercial seabed survey operations, where clear imagery is needed to show the health and integrity of subsea assets
GeoSpectrum Launches TRAPS-USV
GeoSpectrum Technologies has launched a new and compact version of its Towed Reelable Active Passive Sonar (TRAPS) suitable for unmanned surface vessels (USVs).Named TRAPS-USV, this lighter-weight variant is designed to fit on almost any size vessel, including patrol boats and USVs, while retaining full active sonar acoustic capabilities and providing ground breaking low frequency active submarine detection off smaller platforms.With overall system weight reduced to approx. 40% of the already compact TRAPS, TRAPS-USV allows surface vessels and USVs as small as 12 meters long, to be equipped with
Saab Seaeye's Falcon Flies High
In 2020, Saab Seaeye sees the Falcon flying high as the top-selling electric underwater robotic vehicle in its 34-year history.Launched nearly 20 years ago, its design has kept the pioneering concept in step with two decades of global technological advances.The Falcon has opened up many new sectors to the potential of robotics, from marine science to aquaculture and from wind energy to hydroelectric dams.The design created a small, powerful, multi-tasking, easy to use, reliable and robust vehicle - with intelligence.Just a meter-long and rated 300 to 1000 meters depth, the Falcon’s five powerful
Environmental DNA Emerging in the Ocean Science Community
There is a new buzzword in the ocean science/sensing community. The word is eDNA, an abbreviation for environmental DNA. This refers to DNA that can be extracted from environmental samples without first isolating any target organisms. In the maritime community such samples are taken from water. All living organisms leave traces of DNA in their environments which is an indicator of their presence over time. This DNA is released into the environment through the biological process of living animals or by the decomposition of dead organisms. eDNA is a complex mixture of traces that enables the
Kongsberg Develops New LARS for HUGIN AUVs
oil & gas infrastructure, or even retrofitted in a containerized solution. Coupling this new LARS with our highly maneuverable, stable, compact and customizable HUGIN AUVs, which utilize a modular payload system capable of accommodating a comprehensive variety of sensors, will transform commercial, oceanographic and military applications of all kinds.&rdquo
SubSeaSail G6 Platform Passes the Test
The Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) along with logistical support from the US Navy successfully tested their SubSeaSail G6 platform at multiple coastal sites off the Vieques Island, Puerto Rico. Remote sensing applications for monitoring underwater unexploded ordnance were demonstrated by mounting a passive filter assembly to the G6 platform to detect explosive compounds in the water. Additionally, a water quality sensor was mounted to monitor other water quality parameters including temperature, salinity, depth, and turbidity. During
MBARI Works at Unlocking Ocean Biology
Greater understanding of what goes on in the ocean is starting to become a reality – thanks to growing use of unmanned surface and underwater vehicles and developments in biological sensing. Elaine Maslin takes a look at what a team at MBARI has been doing.Gathering biological data from the oceans remains a significant challenge for oceanographers. Now, an increasing range of unmanned vehicles that are able to work together is becoming available, as is an ability to collect biological data using them.It sounds straight forward, but traditionally the collection and processing of biological
Copenhagen Subsea Debuts the Gorilla ROV
Copenhagen Subsea launched a new powerful Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), specifically developed for the offshore industry. The ROV is based on Copenhagen Subsea’s rim-driven thruster technology and is designed to be robust and reliable in challenging environments – qualities which inspired us to name it the Gorilla.In fact, reliability has been first and foremost throughout the design and development of the Gorilla. By basing the ROV on industrial components, Copenhagen Subsea was seeking to ensue the utmost operational reliability.The Gorilla is equipped as standard with an intelligent
Helping to Keep Waterways Navigable in the Netherlands
Maintaining the narrow navigational channels through the shallow tidal flats of the Wadden Sea in the Netherlands is a constant battle, due to the high rate of sediment deposition. Nortek’s Signature VM instrumentation has proved to be a valuable weapon in this fight, providing vital information on particle density and current flows through the water layers.The Dutch jokingly say that God created Earth, but the Dutch created the Netherlands, given the extensive measures taken through the centuries to reclaim and protect the country’s low-lying land from the sea, largely through the construct
Sonardyne Unveils New Products
Underwater technology provider Sonardyne International Ltd. has announced new additions to its 2020 product line-up.With a focus on compact yet capable unmanned and vessel instruments, Sonardyne has unveiled SPRINT-Nav Mini, a compact guidance and control solution in the market, as well as ADCP functionality for its Syrinx Doppler velocity log (DVL) and a smaller, lighter version of its popular Gyro USBL transceiver.SPRINT-Nav Mini provides guidance and control outputs – orientation, velocity, altitude and depth – in a single instrument that weighs just 0.7 kg in water for the 300 m-rated
Kraken Reports Contracts Worth $2.8 Million
with defense and commercial customers.The copany noted military and commercial adoption of its products continues to increase following significant investments in research and development as well as sales and marketing. KRaken said it expects relationships with strategic partners such as ThayerMahan and Ocean Infinity and numerous customer sea trials to continue to generate revenue growth.Kraken also said it is not currently experiencing major impacts from the recent oil price collapse and coronavirus pandemic, but noted that these developments could affect its supply chain, customers, employees and operations
‘Hull Skate’ Your Way to Cleaner Hulls, Better Fuel Efficiency
When it come to ship efficiency and emission reduction, the next frontier is devising better means to keep hulls clean from biofouling in the five years between dry dockings. Finding best solutions on hull coating and cleaning is major point of focus among shipping majors globally.Last month in a feature interview in Maritime Reporter & Engineering News with Royal Caribbean Cruises (RCCL) Anshul Tuteja, Associate VP Global Fleet Optimization, it was made clear that coatings used on the RCCL fleet is a point of intense focus, particularly for Tuteja and his data analytics team, as making a mistake
NOAA-Viking Public Private Partnership, a Win-win for Research
There was important cruise news in January: Viking – a premier European ocean and river cruise company - will offer two new “destination-focused travel experiences,” starting in 2022. One set of cruises becomes Viking’s first foray in the inland North American market, in this case the Great Lakes. Another set of cruises will head to the Arctic and Antarctica. Viking is building two new vessels: the Viking Octantis and the Viking Polaris, under construction now in Norway, by Fincantieri’s VARD.In a press release Viking writes that it has created “the
Northgate Students Conquer Subsea UK’s STEM Challenge
A team of pupils from Northgate High School in Norwich have been crowned champions of the Subsea UK 2020 STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Challenge, which saw six teams from across the UK compete to design an ROV (remotely operated vehicle) to solve an environmental incident.The STEM challenge, led and organized by Subsea UK and supported by the Smallpeice trust, saw 60 teams of secondary school students compete in regional heats to earn their place in the final.The winners from each regional heat; St Damian's RC Science College, Manchester; St Mary’s Catholic School
SBG Systems' INS Chosen for Shom Fleet
Shom, the French national hydrographic and oceanographic office selected SBG Systems’ inertial navigation sytems to renew their whole fleet of INS. They chose Navsight Apogee INS for their speedboats and survey vessels for both shallow and deep-water real-time bathymetric surveys and Qinertia PPK software for post-processing tasks.Shom has 3 major objectives: national hydrography and cartography, defense support in hydro-oceanographic fields, and support in maritime geospatial products and services for public policies on the sea and the coast. The fleet used by Shom is based in Brest and is
Fleet Xpress Chosen for Nekton Project
Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress has been chosen to provide the connectivity backbone enabling images captured by the deep ocean research institute, Nekton from the floor of the Indian Ocean to be transmitted to audiences worldwide.The Nekton Institute is an independent, not-for-profit research institute working in collaboration with the University of Oxford. It aims to accelerate the scientific exploration and protection of the oceans.The maritime high-speed broadband service provided connectivity to relay broadcast images from Nekton’s submersible off the Seychelles last year. Along with Associated
Klein Chooses RadarWatch for Korean Offshore Wind Farm
Klein Marine Systems Selects Cambridge Pixel’s RadarWatch and Target Tracking Technology to Protect Korean Offshore Wind FarmCambridge Pixel, a developer of radar display, tracking and recording sub-systems, has supplied its RadarWatch coastal surveillance software, target tracking and radar recording technology to Klein Marine Systems, a subsidiary of Mitcham Industries, Inc. as part of a project to protect an offshore wind farm and its associated submarine transmission line off the coast of South Korea.Cambridge Pixel’s radar display, tracking and recording technology has been integrated
Ocean Aero to Supply Vehicles for Homeland Security
Ocean Aero, Inc. announced it signed a multimillion-dollar agreement to deliver a variety of the company’s autonomous underwater and surface vehicles (AUSV) models to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) for a research, evaluation and testing program.Ocean Aero will deliver a mix of its Navigator and Discovery models and working closely with DHS and other program participants—the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), The University of Southern Mississippi, the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), and
Pipeline IMR: An All-seeing Eye
wavelengths is converted to digital information. Spectral signatures vary by color and chemistry, hence the designation: optical fingerprinting technology.The SpectraPipe UHI has a depth rating of between 500 and 6,000 meters (or between shallow water by offshore oil and gas standards and a medium-deep oceanic trench). Attached to an ROV or AUV, the system brings lights, altimeter and a pressure sensor to bear while performing its online and offline recording. A medium or large ROV or AUV is needed, one with a 12-72 VDC power supply and an ethernet link to a topside vessel.Operator Choice: variants of
US, Canadian Forces Ready Marine Mammal Monitoring System
Marine Mammal Monitoring (M3R) is an underwater acoustic sensor system being adopted by the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division, Keyport for use in a testing range in the northwest Salish Sea operated jointly by the U.S. Navy and Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental & Test Ranges (CFMETR).M3R utilizes a system of hydrophones and computer algorithms to detect, identify, and track marine mammals that might be approaching Navy testing ranges, enabling Navy personnel to avoid potentially injuring the animals.Dr. Dawn Grebner, a bioacoustician at NUWC Keyport, said the system was originally
Kongsberg Sells HUGIN AUV System to NIOT
Norwegian technology enterprise Kongsberg Maritime announced that contracts have been signed for the sale of a HUGIN AUV System to the Indian National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT), located in Chennai, India.According to a statement from Kongsberg Maritime India, the HUGIN AUV System ordered by NIOT is rated to a depth of 6,000 metres and will be equipped with a Kongsberg HISAS 1032 synthetic aperture sonar and EM2040 multibeam echosounder, designed for hydrographic and seabed classification applications.It will also carry a high-resolution colour still image camera, plus a range of environmental
Measuring the Hostile Ocean Beneath Hurricanes
Unmanned Vehicles Collect Data for Improving Storm ForecastsThe influences of ocean conditions and currents on living environments are now more widely appreciated—from the Earth’s climate and severe weather conditions to fisheries and biodiversity. Sustained and widespread measurements are needed to provide essential clues for understanding the oceans, for effective monitoring of environmental changes, and for helping to clarify the long-term effects of global warming.To meet this challenge, ocean researchers have invented various types of unmanned observing platforms. Two variants developed
Schmidt Appoints Virmani as Executive Director
The Schmidt Ocean Institute announced it has appointed Dr. Jyotika Virmani as its first Executive Director, to lead the global nonprofit in its work to advance the field of oceanographic science through innovative research and technology.With an extensive background in science and innovation, Virmani most recently served as the executive director of planet and environment at XPRIZE and the executive director of the Rainforest XPRIZE, a competition for innovations in biodiversity assessment technologies. She was also executive director of the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE, which incentivized the developme
Good Undersea Vehicles Come in Small Packages
punch above their weight class in practical applications.There are many examples of both ROV and AUV one could consider, but a selection of four are worth reviewing as exemplars of the category. They also offer contrasting perspectives on some key technical and operational choices. For ROVs the Sofar Ocean Trident represents perhaps the pinnacle of compact performance and design optimization. While the Blue Robotics aptly named BlueROV presents a more flexible option. In AUVs the highly engineered “classic” approach is demonstrated by BAE Systems Riptide micro vehicle, albeit with a very
Exploring Under The ice (& Keeping your AUV in one piece)
article we’ll discuss some of the inherent dangers of working under polar ice and how they were mitigated.Why are under AUV missions challenging?Every time an AUV descends to explore unknown regions, there is aPhoto: International Submarine Engineering Ltd. chance it can be lost. Even for AUVs the ocean is not a friendly place. The terrain it navigates is only partially mapped at high resolution; we know more about the surface of Mars than we do about our ocean floors.This said, there are ways to minimise the risks. There is always safety at the surface for example. If an AUV is designed to be slightly
Maritime Sapphire Optics for Subsea Apps
Meller Optics has introduced a broad range of custom manufactured sapphire lenses, windows, and domes for use in submersibles and other deep water undersea applications. Meller Marine Sapphire Optics feature Mohs 9 hardness, which is second only to diamond and can withstand fast moving sand, particles, and deep water pressure to 10,000 psi, depending upon application. Custom manufactured to OEM specifications, they can be supplied as lenses, windows, and domes in sizes from 0.25” to 10” O.D. with varying wall thicknesses and treatments.Featuring surface finishes that can be held
Marine Autonomy Above & Below the Water
the first RSV (or ASV/USV) to be used offshore, says Mouries. It was put to use in the Zakum field, 16km off Abu Dhabi, inspecting pipeline, doing bathymetric surveys and deploying the ROV for a detailed inspection if something was discovered. It’s been working for NPCC ever since, says Mouries, an oceanographer by training, with 12 years’ experience in the marine environment and marine pollution.While the vehicle is able to operate for 24 hours, including power drain from the ROV, it’s often not actually used for this long says Mouries, because survey/hydrographic works do not need to
Hydroid Delivers to U.S. Navy
Hydroid delivered the first REMUS 300 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) prototype to the U.S. Navy through the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU), a new, modular UUV will be assessed over the next year as a potential solution for the Next Generation Small-Class UUV (SUUV) program for the Navy.“The REMUS 300 is a game-changer for the small UUV class. It’s a culmination of everything we’ve learned by delivering over 400 REMUS UUVs over the past 17 years,” said Duane Fotheringham, President of Hydroid. “The modularity and open architecture will make future developments
Seiche Unveils Acoustic Monitoring Technology
Seiche has launched a digital hydrophone developed in partnership with UK-based multinational defense technology company QinetiQ. Due to be unveiled at Oi2020, Hydraq QQ1000, is a combination of acoustic and auxiliary sensors suitable for seabed, rising cable, or suspended cable deployment.Providing enhanced metrology, the instrumented hydrophone has applications spanning underwater noise measurement and environmental use for Port and Harbor Authorities, including compliance with environmental legislation, through to recording of marine mammals, generic noise pollution, and identification of
@ SAMS, Science + Autonomy = Answers
Few sea and ocean-related research projects today do not involve some form of underwater robotic or marine autonomous system. Elaine Maslin reports on how they’re being used by the Scottish Association of Marine Science.Whether it’s large autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), gliders, landers, small man-portable AUV systems and even air-borne vehicles, unmanned systems have become a day-to-day tool. And, while ready built systems are now readily available, easy access to components is enabling researchers to assemble bespoke platforms to meet specific
Ocean Infinity Launches Armada
US-based seabed survey and ocean exploration company Ocean Infinity said it has launched a new marine technology and data company boasting the industry's largest fleet of unmanned surface vehicles (USV).Armada, with a focus on combining technology and environmental sustainability, will initially add 15 bespoke designed marine robots to Ocean Infinity’s current fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV).Armada’s fleet is currently under construction and is expected to be deployable by the end of 2020.Each unmanned surface robot will serve a wide range of industries by being fully
Creating Data Confidence
The in-house calibration facilities at Ocean Scientific International Ltd. (OSIL) provide support, calibrations, pre- and post-deployment verifications (CalChecks) and repairs for a wide range of hydrographic instruments from its well-equipped department, and supports a variety of different parameters (including the main requirements of conductivity, sound velocity, pressure and temperature) to the highest levels of accuracy.OSIL is placed to source high-precision calibration standards for conductivity and salinity as the IAPSO Standard Seawater Service is operated from within the same location
Hybrid Autonomous Systems Evolve
the first RSV (or ASV/USV) to be used offshore, says Mouries. It was put to use in the Zakum field, 16km off Abu Dhabi, inspecting pipeline, doing bathymetric surveys and deploying the ROV for a detailed inspection if something was discovered. It’s been working for NPCC ever since, says Mouries, an oceanographer by training, with 12 years’ experience in the marine environment and marine pollution.While the vehicle is able to operate for 24 hours, including power drain from the ROV, it’s often not actually used for this long says Mouries, because survey/hydrographic works do not need to
Next Gen LARS for Fugro's New L3-ASV
RC Dock Europe, part of RC Dock USA Inc., delivered two fully automated launch and recovery systems (LARS) for Fugro’s new Autonomous Surface Vessels. (ASV)Designed to be used in rough offshore conditions and operated from a moving support vessel, both LAR systems are fully automated and of a “open” design making it suitable to receive ASV’s with different types of keel mounted payloads up to a weight of 6 Tons.A patented lock and release system consists of a series of special designed magnets which are activated by sensors and controlled by RC Dock’s inhouse
Kraken Finalizes OceanVision Contract
Kraken Robotics Inc. announced its wholly owned subsidiary, Kraken Robotic Systems Inc., has finalized the contract for the OceanVision project with the Ocean Supercluster and industry partners (Petroleum Research Newfoundland and Labrador, Ocean Choice International and Nunavut Fisheries Association).OceanVision is a three-year, $18.8 million project focused on the development of new marine technologies and products to enable an underwater robotics data acquisition and data analytics as a service business. Under the OceanVision project, Canada's Ocean Supercluster will provide an investment up to
Subsea Robots in the Splash Zone
From their base deep within a former World War II U-boat pen, Norwegian outfit, OceanTech, is developing a set of robot tools that cling to offshore structures in order to effect inspection, maintenance and repair, or IMR. Old submarine anchorages are now subsea testing and training sites, but the North Sea is still the target. Hundreds of aging platforms and subsea structures require IMR that’s too costly, complex or hazardous for divers or remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs.As he walks us through Dora II, the original name of the U-boat pen, OceanTech CEO, Berndt Schjetne, points to
SMTP Helps to Power Future Ocean Tech
On an unseasonably warm October day in San Francisco, hundreds gather in the Dogpatch district to hear about the latest innovations in ocean conservation and science. Bubble barriers to trap plastic in river mouths and portable DNA scanners preventing illegal wildlife trafficking are just a few of the ground-breaking tools and technologies that are transitioning from dream to reality. And the unifying factor amongst these groups is support from Schmidt Marine Technology Partners (SMTP).SMTP is a relatively new program of the Schmidt Family Foundation, established in 2015, that is making significant
US Navy to Test L3Harris UUV
payload sections, including real aperture and synthetic aperture sonars. Additional sensors, swappable battery chemistries, and data solutions are included with the prototype system to provide U.S. military forces with a highly capable UUV that can detect, classify, localize, and identify targets on the ocean floor and in the water column in support of Expeditionary Mine Countermeasures (ExMCM), Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD), and undersea search operations
Kongsberg Maritime Shuts Down KM Contros
Kongsberg Maritime (KM), a Norwegian technology enterprise within the Kongsberg Gruppen, informed that it has suspended the sale of the previously announced German KM Contros GmbH to AML Oceanographic Ltd. (AML).Following a strategic evaluation and prioritization of the KM business in 2019, the company decided to divest Contros, and a Letter of Intent was signed with a future buyer of the business.However, the companies have now agreed not to pursue the previously announced letter of intent, and the sale of Contros will therefore not proceed. Consequently, Kongsberg Maritime has decided to cease the
Drifter Buoys Aid Seaweed Research
the free-floating, kelp-like algae originates and how its environment is changing, so that action can be taken.The research team built 20 buoys equipped with Globalstar's SPOT Trace trackers and placed them across the North Equatorial Recirculation Region (NERR) in the summer of 2019.Most surface ocean research projects use bulky 10-meter-deep drifters but when the Dutch research team heard about how Nico Wienders at the Florida State University used tiny SPOT Trace satellite trackers for oceanographic and oil spill research, they realized this was a more realistic option to mimic the drift of
Shearwater GeoServices Bags Gambia 3D Gig
The provider of 3D marine seismic data, imaging products, and data processing software solutions, Shearwater Geoservices has been awarded a 3D Isometrix seismic acquisition project by FAR Gambia Ltd (FAR).According to a press release from the 50/50 joint venture between GC Rieber Shipping ASA and Rasmussengruppen AS, The one-month survey will cover parts of block A5 offshore Gambia in the rapidly emerging and prolific Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Conakry (MSGBC) Basin.The offshore survey service provider will be acquired by the SW Amundsen and provide new seismic over a shallow-wate
Research Vessel Delivered to Orca Maritime
. The vessel will enter service immediately, beginning with a week-long operation around San Clemente Island.The second IPS-drive catamaran delivered by Armstrong, the 4216-CTC model was selected by Orca Maritime after the builder delivered the same design to UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography (R/V Bob and Betty Beyster) in 2019.Orca Maritime will utilize the workboat in support of Department of Defense initiatives, environmental agencies, energy sectors, and commercial enterprise. Vessel operations will include the launch and recovery of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), underwater
Protecting Subsea Cabling
The energy industry is changing. Renewables are on the rise and wind energy is becoming increasingly prevalent. In fact, Britain is set to increase the amount of energy produced from offshore wind farms from 7% to 30% over the next decade.However, offshore wind energy is completely reliant on subsea cabling to deliver power back to land and allow transmission between turbines. If these essential cables become damaged or start to malfunction, it could completely cease production — requiring expensive repair work.Threats to subsea cables are a huge risk to offshore wind farms, one that the renewable
ADCPs & DVLs: Recent Tech Developments
All seagoers know the ocean moves. Some thrive on riding the wind and waves while some hang on and look for a rail downwind with a bit of green in their face. But measuring the movement of the water, or of objects through the water, is a key aspect of many ocean technologies and applications. It is possible to use a principle of sound waves called the Doppler effect to measure motion in water. A sound wave has a higher frequency, or pitch, when it moves to you than when it moves away. You hear the Doppler effect in action when a police car siren speeds past with a characteristic increasing intensity
SeaRaptor AUV Completes Sea Acceptance Test
Teledyne Gavia, a company of Teledyne Marine, announced it has completed the sale and recent sea acceptance testing of the SeaRaptor, 6,000m rated autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). The client was not disclosed.The SeaRaptor AUV incorporates a broad range of Teledyne content including acoustic modems, ascent and descent weight releases, a black box pinger locator, sub-bottom profiler (Teledyne Benthos), multi-beam echosounders, obstacle avoidance multi-beam sonar (Teledyne RESON), Doppler Velocity Log (DVL), Current, Temperature, and Depth sensor (CTD) (Teledyne RD Instruments), and onboard processing
Semtech, Wilhelmsen, TTI Team-up for Maritime IoT
Semtech, Wilhelmsen and The Things Industries (TTI) have formed a partnership to use Semtech’s LoRa devices to help deliver what they describe as cost-effective, robust and proven IoT solutions to the maritime shipping industry.Wilhelmsen is a global maritime industry group founded in 1861. Semtech Corporation is a supplier of high performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors and advanced algorithms.Wilhelmsen has selected Semtech’s LoRa devices as the foundation for its new global 2.4GHz maritime IoT network to deliver an ecosystem of cost-effective, robust and proven IoT
Subsea Tech's 'March of Miniaturization'
whole system for the same price as a single sensor. “We’re opening a new market, giving mini-ROVs new tool to do advanced navigation that’s not been done before,” says Skisland.At the Tau event, Water Linked’s positioning system was used as an “underwater GPS” on Oceaneering’s Freedom 60% scale Freedom AUV test vehicle. There, with four what the company calls receivers on the docking station and a “locator” on the vehicle, it provided 1cm-accuracy for the AUV to dock into a subsea docking station. An optimal scenario would see the vehicle and
CCG Adds OFSV to its Fleet
600 Canadian small and medium-size companies and their thousands of employees across the country contributed to this world-class vessel.Measuring 63.4m, the CCGS Capt. Jacques Cartier is one of the most advanced and capable ships of its size and type in the world.Fully equipped to support Fisheries and Ocean scientists in the collection and analysis of data on Canada’s marine ecosystems and the impacts of climate change, the vessel features a full suite of state-of-the-art systems, including high-tech fishing trawls and four science labs — a wet lab, a dry lab, an ocean lab and a control
2G Robotics Unveils Micro Inspection Skid
Canadian marine technology company 2G Robotics said it has launched a new laser survey skid for inspection class remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV).Developed in partnership with iXblue and Nortek, the all-in-one integrated Micro Inspection Skid delivers high accuracy inspection capabilities with subsea dynamic laser scanning to enable survey and inspection by low cost vehicles.Available for new and existing vehicles including the Saab Seaeye Falcon and the Seatronics VALOR, the skid features a plug-and-play design that comes fully calibrated and only requires mounting and connection to the
10 Tech Trends to Impact Shipping Industry
A new report has identified the ten technology trends, and their associated risks, that will shape industry and society in the coming decade.The rapid advancement of digitalization is behind many of the trends, profoundly challenging our personal and societal assumptions, according to DNV GL, the global risk management and quality assurance company.The report 'Technology Outlook 2030' said that the relationship between humans and technology is switching, with humans increasingly augmenting the decisions of artificial intelligence, rather than the other way around.For example, in the next
Kraken to Equip JetMaster Robots
with MPI, a world leader in net cleaning robots. This is another example of Kraken developing innovative new technology and growing it into new markets and geographies. Besides MPI, Kraken is also engaged with a number of other aquaculture stakeholders, including industry and government agencies, via our OceanVision Ocean Supercluster project. We see significant opportunities for our thruster and battery technology and our AquaPix sonar sensors, SeaVision laser scanners, and SmartCam products within the global aquaculture industry."Thore Standal, MPI’s Chief Operating and Chief Commercial Officer
Inmarsat, ABB Pact on IoT Platform
British satellite telecommunications company Inmarsat plc and the provider of electric, digital and connected solutions for the marine industry ABB Marine & Ports have signed a master supply agreement aimed at tackling an obstacle identified by ship owners which has stopped them using IoT (Internet of Things) technology.A recent 2018 Inmarsat survey of 125 owners found 51% identifying an inability to get data off ships in real-time as their obstacle to IoT adoption.The agreement recognises ABB as a certified application provider to work with Fleet Data, the IoT platform developed by Inmarsat and
Dualog, NYK Sign Cyber-Risk Contract
Japanese shipping company NYK has signed a long-term industrial research and development project agreement with Tromsø-based Dualog which aims to result in a cutting-edge Cyberrisk Management System for vessels.The project announced today at the Norwegian Embassy in Tokyo will receive two years of funding from the Norwegian government fund Innovation Norway.The agreement will see the development of digitized products and services across a test-bed of 50 vessels with a view to eventually being rolled out across NYKs self-operated fleet of 250 ships.The accord follows hot on the heels of a
CargoSmart Intros Connected Reefer Solution
CargoSmart, the provider of global shipment management software solutions, announced its brand-new CargoSmart Connected Reefer Solution, a one-stop reefer cargo management solution for ocean carriers and shippers.The AI and IoT-enabled solution features end-to-end information transparency, including enhanced reefer container Pre-Trip Inspection (PTI) support, real-time container status monitoring updates, and predictive cargo arrival status. It allows carriers to offer best-in-class performance to shippers with lowered operating costs. COSCO SHIPPING recorded substantial in reefer container PTI
Vaisala Launches New Smart Probes
Vaisala launched six new smart probes for its Indigo product family, optimized for demanding industrial applications. New options for dew point and moisture in oil measurements bring more possibilities for industries to save energy, optimize processes, and improve product quality.The new probes will improve customers’ process efficiencies by providing accurate and reliable measurement data for their industrial processes. The capabilities of the new probes are based on next-generation sensor technologies.The new Vaisala DRYCAP Dew Point and Temperature Probes DMP5, DMP6, DMP7, and DMP8 are
New Tech: Automatic Calibration of Sea State Data
Availability of reliable, real-time ocean surface data can improve the safety, efficiency and performance of offshore and marine operations, as well as coastal monitoring, but the quality of the data is dependent on accurate calibration.Calibration of wave spectra and integrated wave parameters from radar-based measurement systems has historically depended upon external reference sensors, such as wave buoys, which can present a number of challenges.Miros’ ocean surface monitoring systems support fully automatic calibration, providing the user with high-quality wave and current parameters for a
MacArtney Supplies Time Saving Solution to MMT
MacArtney has recently supplied the latest in a series of seven customized NEXUS MK C ‘Super MUX’ multiplexers to MMT, providers of customized marine surveys for the offshore energy industry.Multiplexers, designed to simultaneously transmit data along a single channel of communication, provide operators with the opportunity to gather numerous types of data at once. The Swedish based, MMT working in close collaboration with Reach Subsea, ordered the customized NEXUS MK C connectivity solution (named the Super MUX by MMT) from MacArtney Underwater Technology earlier this year.MMT assists
Cougar XT Chosen for Africa Subsea Ops
In a bid to boost its offshore deep water operations, RusselSmith, a Nigeria-based oilfield services provider, has chosen Saab Seaeye’s Cougar XT electric underwater robotic vehicle to boost its ROV fleet.“The Cougar is an ideal choice,” says RusselSmith CEO, Kayode Adeleke. “It is a powerful, highly maneuverable and capable ROV and we believe it will add a lot of value to our subsea operations.”RusselSmith sees the Cougar meeting its current and projected subsea undertakings which include inspection, repairs, maintenance, light construction work and drill support.For them
Complete Oil Spill Monitoring Solutions for Vulnerable Areas
Global environmental monitoring experts Ocean Scientific International Ltd (OSIL) produce oil spill monitoring solutions for remote areas for both aquatic and terrestrial applications where there is a concern over the potential for exposure to hydrocarbons.OSIL build and install systems including oil spill monitoring buoys that are capable of detecting and monitoring surface sheens, oil in water monitoring buoys that can identify and quantify crude oil and refined fuels present in the water column using submersible sensors, and land-based non-contact oil spill detection systems. These structures can
