UKHO Appoints Rear Admiral Sparkes
The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) appointed Rear Admiral Peter Sparkes to the position of National Hydrographer and Deputy Chief Executive.As National Hydrographer, Sparkes is the UK government’s representative at the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), where he works with partners to set and maintain standards that protect the safety of mariners around the world. In addition to this, he oversees key international partnerships with foreign navies, hydrographic offices, governments and commercial organizations to support the sharing of global marine geospatial data. And on behalf of UK
Polar RV Sir David Attenborough Naming Ceremony
shipyard.The ship was commissioned by the UK’s Natural Environment Research Council, built by Cammell Laird, and operated by the British Antarctic Survey. This vessel is designed to transform how ship-borne science is conducted in the Polar Regions and its commissioning is part of a major UK Government polar infrastructure investment program aiming to keep Britain at the forefront of world-leading research in Antarctica and the Arctic. The £200 million investment represents the UK Government’s largest investment in polar science since the 1980s
New UK Center for Maritime Innovation
, Strathclyde and UCL) have been working to develop MarRI-UK since 2013. Led by Patrick Carnie of Babcock Marine and Technology and Professor Alex Duffy of the University of Strathclyde, the consortium have worked collaboratively with Maritime UK to attain support and secure funding from the UK Government through different streams.
Subsea UK: Exploring Underwater Robotics
developments in underwater vehicles, marine robotics and autonomous operations, survey and measurement, and inspection technology and operational developments. Neil Gordon, chief executive of Subsea UK, said: “In recent years the UK robotics sector has seen substaintal growth, with the UK Government announcing a $22 million investment into university research into AI last year. The rapid evolution of digitalization, AI and automation offers multiple benefits to the subsea industry including greater project accuracy and efficiency for operators.“We have held this conference for a number
UK Govt Backs Aberdeen Subsea Engineering Hub
The UK government said it will back industry plans for a multimillion pound underwater engineering hub in Aberdeen.The planned Global Underwater Engineering Hub will bring together underwater technologies from both industry and academia from up and down the country to build on UK expertise in subsea robotics, remotely-operated underwater vehicles and maritime support vessels.The hub is also intended to help the country’s oil and gas sector diversify and support the UK’s transition away from fossil fuels toward renewables, the government said in an announcement of Friday.Prime Minister
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
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.
UK Spurs Autonomous Shipping Development
Agency (MCA) and the Department for Transport (DfT), in collaboration with the National Oceanography Center’s (NOC) Marine Robotics Innovation Center, successfully secured £1 million in a bid to accelerate the U.K. into a world-leading position in this area.The funding, awarded by the U.K. Government’s Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy’s Regulators’ Pioneer Fund, will be used to pioneer new ways of regulating the autonomous and smart shipping industries to help them deliver innovative new technologies to the traditional maritime sector.The global autonomous
UKHO Conducts Seabed Mapping in St Lucia
The U.K. Hydrographic Office (UKHO) said it has deployed a motorboat to survey the waters of St Lucia as part of the Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Program.Following a stakeholder meeting with the St Lucia Air and Sea Ports Authority (SLASPA) and wider government earlier this year, priority areas will be surveyed, capturing sonar data of St Lucia’s main ports and approaches. These include Castries to Marigot Harbor, Rodney Bay, Vieux Fort Bay and Soufriere Bay. The survey is expected to be completed in October.Data from the survey will be used to update navigation charts of the region
UKHO Conducts Seabed Mapping in Dominica
The U.K. Hydrographic Office (UKHO) said it has deployed a motorboat to survey the waters off Dominica as part of the Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Program.Following a stakeholder meeting with Dominica’s Maritime Authority and wider government in late 2017 after Hurricane Maria, priority survey areas were agreed to capture seabed mapping data of Dominica’s main ports and approaches.Surveying is expected to continue throughout September, focusing on areas including Roseau, Portsmouth and Soufriere Bay.Data from the survey will be used to update navigation charts of the region, as well
