Sailing for Science

A new report by the National Ocean Council, the Federal Oceanographic Fleet Status Report, notes the challenges faced by operators of the United States fleet of survey and research ships. “These 47 ships are part of our Nation’s critical infrastructure, collecting vital information to help protect lives and property from marine hazards; measure and project global climate change and ocean acidification; enhance safety and security and more.” Retired Navy Capt.

Marine Geo-engineering to be Regulated

Marine geo-engineering, including ocean fertilization, will be regulated under amendments to the 1996 Protocol to the international treaty which regulates the dumping of wastes and other matter at sea. The amendments, adopted recently by Parties to the 1996 Protocol to the Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter, 1972, add a new article 6bis which states that “Contracting Parties shall not allow the placement of matter into the sea from vessels…

Teledyne Acquires CDL

Teledyne Technologies Incorporated announced that its subsidiary, Teledyne Limited, has acquired C.D. Limited (CDL). Headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland, CDL is a supplier of subsea inertial navigation systems and motion sensors for a variety of marine applications. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. CDL designs and manufactures a variety of sensors including gyrocompasses, attitude and heading reference systems, and inertial navigation systems.

Keppel Wins US$1-Billion Transocean Jackup Rig Order

Keppel FELS Limited has secured a repeat order from a subsidiary of Transocean Ltd. (Transocean) to build 5 KFELS Super B Class jackup rigs for US$1.1 billion. The rigs are scheduled to be delivered progressively from 1Q 2016 to 3Q 2017. In addition, Transocean has options to build up to another five similar jackup rigs with Keppel FELS. Tailored to suit Transocean's requirements, the KFELS Super B Class rigs are designed to operate in 400 feet water depth and drill to 35,000 feet.

NUWC Division Newport: $2 Billion Impact on Economy in 2024

The total funded program of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport reached $2 billion in 2024, according to the recently released economic impact report.Of its total operating budget, $776 million was spent by Division Newport in civilian payroll and labor, materials, operational expenditures, property maintenance and repair, and military payroll, while $1.2 billion funded contracts.One of two divisions of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center…

Whale Alert App Is Now Available in Europe

Dense maritime traffic causes frequent collisions with whales, but citizens can help protect them with a simple click on the Whale Alert mobile app, now available in Europe. More than two million marine vessels move through European waters every year. Shipping lanes coincide with migratory routes as well as feeding and breeding grounds of many whale species, putting them at risk of collisions that…

ROVCO Partners with Drexel

Remotely operated vehicle (ROV) survey and inspection company Rovco said it has expanded its international reach after forming a local partnership with Drexel Marine Petroleum Services in Egypt.The deal will see the Bristol-headquartered firm offer its range of advanced subsea services to companies in Egypt, as part of a plan to increase business in the region over the next five years.Through the strategic alliance with services company Drexel Marine…

Export Licensing: Tips U.S. Exporters Shouldn’t Overlook

Each year, the U.S. Department of Commerce receives thousands of inquiries from businesses looking to export, many of which involve licensing questions. The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), together with other USG agencies, is responsible for export licensing and controls. BIS export licenses may be required for items (commodities, software, or technology) with proliferation, military, or terrorist uses, or which warrant control for other reasons.

VA Offshore Wind: A Strong Foundation

Virginia officials have established a well-planned, extensive strategy to build out an offshore wind industry, including wind towers for electricity generation and the supply chain to support that extensive infrastructure and operations. The State’s big picture is ambitious: developing 2,000 MW of offshore wind by 2028.As currently envisioned, VA’s offshore wind development will likely start this year with two 8-megawatt wind turbines 27 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach.

Saildrone, Meta Complete First Unmanned, Autonomous Deep-Water Cable Route Survey in the North Atlantic

In a first-of-its-kind demonstration mission, Saildrone, in partnership with Meta, successfully completed a deep-water cable route survey in the North Atlantic using the Saildrone Surveyor, a 20-meter uncrewed surface vehicle (USV). This project represents a milestone in the evolution of ocean survey technology, proving that autonomous platforms can deliver data quality and performance on par with…

Oceaneering Orders 100 Exail's Octans 9 Systems to Bolster Offshore Ops

U.S.-based subsea services and technology firm Oceaneering has placed an initial order for a minimum of 100 units of Exail’s new Octans 9 Attitude Heading Referencing Systems (AHRS), as it aims to enhance capabilities for offshore survey and positioning projects.The Exail Octans 9 systems will be integrated into a variety of offshore applications, including high-specification offshore field support vessel navigation suites…

Atlantic Shores Keeps Fugro Busy Offshore New Jersey

Dutch offshore survey firm Fugro has won a contract renewal with the U.S. offshore wind developer Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind.The contract is for the provision of real-time wind and metocean measurements off the coast of New Jersey in the U.S. over the next 2 years."The award is the latest in a set of three contract renewals between Fugro and Atlantic Shores based on a successful 2020 work season.

Ocean Infinity Buys Geowynd

Marine robotics company Ocean Infinity said Thursday it had acquired marine geotechnics experts, Geowynd.Based in the UK, with clients all over Europe, Geowynd’s team of geotechnical engineers provides consultancy services to aid the safe and optimal development of offshore renewable energy projects.Geowynd’s geotechnical analysis services include developing smart site investigations, advanced laboratory testing strategies…

Teledyne Marine autonomously surveys DEEP's quarry lake in Wye Valley

Teledyne Marine joined forces with Maritime Robotics and DEEP to survey DEEP's quarry lake, affectionately referred to as Loch Lye, in the Wye Valley.The team deployed the latest survey equipment mounted on a Maritime Robotics Otter Pro vessel, including a Teledyne RESON SeaBat T51 (800 kHz) multi beam sonar with integrated inertial navigation, paired with a Teledyne Valeport SWiFT profiler. Loch Lyr serves as the centerpiece of the DEEP campus, a facility spanning 50 acres.

Leidos and Nauticus Robotics Forge Strategic Alliance

Nauticus Robotics, a specialist in autonomous subsea robotics and software, has entered into a strategic alliance with Leidos to advance subsea autonomy solutions.The alliance builds on a successful prior collaboration between the two organizations and aims to combine the companies' complementary expertise to develop next-generation autonomous underwater systems capable of tackling increasingly complex missions.Nauticus will apply its expertise in commercial subsea vehicle development…

Meet FlipiX: iXblue Launches New ROTV

At Ocean Business 2021 in Southampton, iXblue today launched a new ROTV -- FlipiX -- designed to enhance autonomous survey scope.Designed to be operated autonomously from iXblue DriX Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) or from a light vessel, FlipiX enhances autonomous survey capabilities and allows to conduct multi-sensor operations in a single run.Leveraging advanced motion control and a reduced operational footprint…

NOC Moves Forward with Funding for Subsea Sensor Tech

A project to create a multi-parameter miniature sensor to help boost the range of measurements single underwater robotic platforms can take has won UK funding.A team in the National Oceanography Centre’s (NOC) Ocean Technology and Engineering group will develop and then test the new SixSense package on autonomous underwater vehicles, including Autosub Long Range (ALR) and Slocum Glider platforms. The new miniature sensor will be capable of measuring six key parameters covering biogeochemical…

UK NOC's Study Challenges Role of Plankton in Ocean Carbon Storage Process

A new UK National Oceanography Centre (NOC)-led study has put a major question mark over the role a unique group of tiny microscopic plants plays in driving ocean carbon storage.Diatoms, a type of plankton or marine algae, have a significant role in drawing carbon down into the deep, especially in the Southern Ocean, which takes up about a third of organic carbon stored in the ocean.Uniquely, diatoms have dense…

New Royal Navy USV to Neutralize Mines

The Royal Navy now has taken delivery of a 12m uncrewed surface vessel (USV), called Ariadne, that will be used to detect mines.This advanced technology is expected to increase operational tempo, and it eliminates the needs for sailors to enter mine danger areas.Royal Navy Motor Boat (RNMB) Ariadne can be deployed from a harbor or mother ship to scour the seabed for mines, using Thales Towed Synthetic…

NOAA Commissions Survey Ship

NOAA commissions high-tech coastal mapping 'Ferdinand R. Hassler' in Norfolk, Va. The new ship’s primary mission will be to detect and monitor changes to the sea floor. Data collected by the ship will be used to update nautical charts, detect potential hazards to navigation, and enhance our understanding of the ever-changing marine environment. “With the growth in the size of commercial vessels and the importance of waterborne commerce to our economic security…