MacArtney, Elettra Work to Enhance Subsea Monitoring

MacArtney announced a partnership with Elettra Tlc to deliver critical subsea infrastructure for the Italian National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), enhancing its capacity for environmental monitoring and research.

The scope of this collaboration involves installing and connecting a new subsea power, communication and data transmission network located 2,200m deep and 35km offshore from Catania, Italy, where INGV will strongly enforce its existing marine site as part of the ITINERIS project (Italian Integrated Environmental Research Infrastructures System).

Elettra and MacArtney have joined forces to supply essential and dependable subsea infrastructure, ensuring high-quality performance and data efficiency for INGV's operations.

In this partnership, Elettra and MacArtney will handle different but complementary responsibilities.

Elettra will supply the main electro-optical submarine cable (MEOC). Their scope also includes ensuring robust connections and managing the installation and testing of the complete system at the operating site.

MacArtney will provide the cable termination assembly (CTA) and a customized cable termination frame (CTF) as integral components of an advanced subsea sensor platform. The CTF serves as both a distribution hub and connection point for the sensor platform, allowing for seamless integration of scientific instruments into the power network and efficient data transfer to and from the ground station, utilising hybrid ODI penetrators and ROV-mateable connectors. At the heart of this platform is the medium voltage conversion system (MVC) and PBOF transformer canister, which are essential for its smooth operation.

The scope also includes a power supply and control system, a remote management system for INGV's operational oversight and maintenance, and factory and site acceptance testing to check and verify compliance with the preapproved specifications.

Together, Elettra and MacArtney enhance INGV's capacity to monitor and study environmental processes in Southern Italy and Sicily, regions known for seismic and volcanic activities. As a key contributor to the ITINERIS project, INGV will be able to install new multidisciplinary submarine observatories (including oceanographic, geophysics, and seismic sensors) on the final slopes of the Etna volcano at a depth of more than 2,000 meters in the southern part of the Messina Strait.

Elettra Tlc and MacArtney Italy at the Hydro conference, celebrating the INGV contract. From the left: Mr. Elio Rubino (Elettra Tlc), Vincenzo Mauro and Roberto Galletti (MacArtney Italy), Duccio Righetti (Elettra Tlc).
Image courtesy MacArtney