Ocean Infinity Buys Two HUGIN 6000 AUVs
Ocean Infinity has purchased two more autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) from Kongsberg Maritime, expanding its fleet of HUGIN 6000 AUVs from six to eight vehicles.
The AUVs will be used worldwide to collect high resolution seabed data for clients. The fleet of AUVs will be operated simultaneously, each AUV programmed with an independent mission plan. Independence allows the systems to cover huge swaths of seabed quickly and accurately. Each AUV can reach depths of 6,000 meters and has an approximate endurance of 48 hours.
Ocean Infinity's AUVs all come standard with side scan sonar, multi-beam ecosounder, sub-bottom profiler, conductivity/temperature/depth sensor and self-compensating magnetometer. A standardized approach allows for operators to quickly become comfortable with operating, maintaining and when necessary repairing the vehicles quickly.
In the second quarter of 2017 Ocean Infinity will begin sea trials on the simultaneous operation of multiple autonomous vehicles to be used in the exploration of the seabed. The AUV fleet will be accompanied by unmanned surface vehicles (USV) to ensure precise positioning and constant two-way communication from the surface to the seabed. This comprehensive seabed exploration system’s command and control will be from a 115 meter vessel equipped with two ROVs.
![Microplastic beads seen in the central tube of a copepod [their intestinal tract], as evidenced here, fluorescently labelled beads help with visualization and identification. © PML](https://images.marinetechnologynews.com/images/maritime/w100h100padcanvas/microplastic-beads-seen-166795.jpeg)
December 2025
