New Survey Vessel to Fugro

Fugro America, built by Thoma-Sea Marine Construction in Louisiana, was delivered to Fugro in mid-March. The new vessel is designed to Fugro’s specifications, fitted with the latest geophysical survey equipment and houses some of the most advanced instrumentation in the field. Fugro Americas is optimized for working in the Gulf of Mexico, but is also suited for operations in other geographical areas…

2G Robotics Laser Scanner Now Interfaced with QINSy

2G Robotics announced that the ULS-500 underwater laser scanner is now compatible with the QPS hydrographic data acquisition, navigation and processing software, QINSy. The QINSy suite can be used for various types of surveys, ranging from simple single beam surveys up to complex offshore construction works. According to 2G Robotics, QINSy has a reputation for producing fully corrected and geo-referenced multibeam point clouds in real-time.

Portsmouth Pilots Use High Detailed Charts

Portsmouth Pilots are now using bathymetric ENCs in combination with official ENCs on their Portable Pilot Units. For many years Portable Pilot Units (PPUs) with SevenCs pilot information systems have been successfully used by a large number of pilot organizations. As a result of this collaboration, SevenCs has developed a brand new system, called ORCA Pilot G2. It includes the typical functions of a navigation system for touchscreen operation…

MakaiLay Suite Adds Features for Power Cable Installers

Makai Ocean Engineering, Inc. said it continues to address issues experienced by the subsea power cable industry by enhancing submarine cable lay software, MakaiLay, and its desktop simulation sister product, MakaiPlan Pro. 1. Cable Top Angle. MakaiLay now has the option to use the cable departure angle, or “Top Angle”, which can be measured at the over-boarding point. When high quality measurements of top tension are not available…

Fugro, Spoor Join Forces for AI Bird Monitoring for Offshore Wind Farms

Fugro and Spoor, a software company that helps renewable energy projects reduce their environmental impact, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to develop a new bird-monitoring solution for offshore renewable energy projects.The artificial intelligence (AI)-powered system will not only help protect bird populations but also supports the growth of renewable energy by making environmental assessments more affordable…

Partnerships Producing Game Changing Safety Innovations

Recent trends toward closer collaboration between operators and contractors—who after all share an interest in avoiding incidents and promoting safe operations—are a good sign for the industry. But it takes the right kind of partners to benefit from the arrangement—an operator must be willing to include its contractor partner in the early stages of engineering and risk assessment, and a contractor needs to have the expertise to advise and support the client effectively.

U.S. Vets' Licensed Mariner Program

NavTeach.com to deliver USCG captain's license introduction and tutorial service to U.S. Training and experience on the water during military service can be translated into a very rewarding career as a professional USCG licensed mariner. Complicated mission requirements and the required security clearance separate these qualifications from other mariners competing in this lucrative job market, say NavTeach.

Kongsberg Contracted for New Seismic Vessel

Kongsberg Evotec AS, a Kongsberg Maritime company, will provide the complete back deck solution for handling of up to 20 streamers simultaneously aboard a GC Rieber owned new-build seismic exploration vessel, awarded by builder Kleven. The ST324XT designed by Skipsteknisk in Ålesund, will be built at Kleven’s shipyard Myklebust Verft in Sande, Norway, and will be operated by Dolphin Geophysical from Bergen.

MHI to Build for PGS

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) received an order for two vessels capable of three-dimensional (3D) seismic data acquisition for sea bottom resource exploration from Petroleum Geo-Services ASA (PGS). The order for the two vessels, which was signed on April 25 in Tokyo, was placed upon exercise by PGS of the option right that was provided when two same type vessels were ordered to MHI in April 2011.

Keppel Delivers Arabian Drilling Company Rig

Keppel delivers its 45th KFELS B Class jackup rig with another 18 such rigs on order. These KFELS B Class rigs make up more than 30% of the total jackups completed globally since 2000. The rig was delivered to Arabian Drilling Company (ADC) 14 days ahead of schedule, on budget and with a perfect safety record. Keppel FELS earning them an early delivery bonus of US$210,000. Named ArabDrill 50 at a ceremony, the rig will be chartered to Saudi Aramco for operations in offshore Saudi Arabia.

Diginonymous, GW Partner for Offshore Medical Software

Software developer Diginonymous LLC and Maritime Medical Access Program at The George Washington University (GW) Medical Faculty Associates have teamed up to offer an advanced shipboard video telemedicine service for the international maritime industry to help clients meet the International Labor Organization’s (ILO) Maritime Labor Convention (MLC) 2006 requirements for crew healthcare. The GW Maritime Medical Access Program and Diginonymous developed the Digi+Doc service…

Kongsberg Systems for New Fugro Survey Ship

The new Fugro-owned Survey Vessel “Fugro Helmert” has been christened at Fassmer Shipyard in Germany, & is equipped with Kongsberg Maritime (Germany) advanced technical equipment. Kongsberg Maritime scope of supply to this high sophisticated survey vessel includes a Dynamic Position System Class 1 (DP1) with class notation Germanischer Lloyd and various sounding equipment placed in a specially designed blister in the keel section area.

Interview: Geir Håøy, CEO, Kongsberg

Kongsberg CEO Geir Håøy explains how renewable energy will power the group’s ambitious growth plans, with particular focus on consolidating a leading global position in offshore wind. With Nor-Shipping 2023 on the horizon, Håøy says #PartnerShip will help unlock value and drive development throughout the ocean space.Geir Håøy isn’t the kind of CEO that suffers from over-enthusiastic language and grandiose promises.

Fugro to Deliver Offshore Surveys at Major Energy Fields in Middle East

Dutch geological data specialist Fugro has been selected to deliver extensive offshore and onshore surveys for multiple major energy field developments in the Middle East.Fugro has recently been awarded multiple contracts to perform comprehensive offshore and onshore surveys in the United Arab Emirates, supporting two of the region’s largest long-term field development programs.These projects mark…

MATE ROV Competition Planned in Tennessee

The world unites in Tennessee for the international underwater robotics competitionEnsuring public safety, maintaining healthy waterways and preserving historical artifacts are all on task for students participating in the 18th annual MATE International ROV Competition. The underwater robotics competition is set for June 20-22, at the Kingsport Aquatic Center and MeadowView Conference Resort and Convention Center in Kingsport…

New AUV Helps Document Critical Minerals

An autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) has imaged a previously unexplored portion of the seafloor in ultra-deep waters near the Mariana Trench.Built by New England-based startup Orpheus Ocean, the small-footprint AUV is advancing understanding of some of the planet’s least explored regions at water depths up to 11,000 meters (6.8 miles).Operationalizing the technology for the first time was part of a mission led by the Ocean Exploration Cooperative Institute (OECI)…

UK Receives First ROUV Certification; PIONEER Becomes First Vessel to Achieve Compliance

Lloyd’s Register (LR) has issued the UK’s first certification for a remotely operated and unmanned vessel (ROUV) under the Maritime and Coastguard Agency’s (MCA) Workboat Code Edition 3 (WBC3) Annex 2, with hydrogen-powered PIONEER from ACUA Ocean becoming the first vessel to achieve compliance.Introduced by the MCA in December 2023, the WBC3 requirements set out safety and operational standards for ROUVs operating in UK waters.

Naturally Quiet

The Arctic’s bowhead whales can live for over 200 years. Imagine what they might hear in that time: screw propellers were only just being used to power ships 200 years ago, and diesel engines appeared some hundred years after that.The underwater radiated noise of shipping has grown globally, but the Arctic is a special place. It has been partially shielded from shipping noise. Sea ice shields and diffuses underwater sound…

Lander Lab: Chilean Ocean Lander Data Acquisition and Control System

IntroductionThere are enormous technological challenges in accessing and sampling hadal depths, but the recent surge in the development of deep-ocean technologies ranging from ocean landers, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), and human-occupied vehicles (HOVs) has allowed the oceanography of trenches to be addressed.Ocean landers are a cost-effective class of autonomous unmanned underwater vehicle that possess a unique capacity for exceptionally quiet…

National Marine Sanctuary Foundation Welcomes Admiral Tim Gallaudet As New Trustee

The National Marine Sanctuary Foundation announced the appointment of the Honorable Tim Gallaudet, PhD, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy (ret) and CEO of Ocean STL Consulting to its Board of Trustees. Adm. Gallaudet is a strategist in building connections to bring together different sectors towards common missions. His network bridges ocean science and discovery luminaries, heritage and preservation champions…