Scientists Find Life at Unexplored Ocean Depths

With a brand new ROV in tow, a team of leading geologists, chemists and biologists recently returned to the largely unexplored Mariana Back-Arc to search for life at depths greater than 13,000 feet. Led by Dr. David Butterfield, JISAO, University of Washington, and Dr. William Chadwick, NOAA-PMEL and Oregon State University, the group returned to the Back-Arc for the second phase of a two-part exploration of the region.

Kongsberg Delivers 50th HAIN System

Kongsberg Maritime has delivered its 50th HAIN (Hydro Acoustic aided Inertial Navigation) Reference System, to long-time HAIN user, Ocean Rig. HAIN significantly improves reference data accuracy and update rate sent to Dynamic Positioning (DP) systems to support safer, more reliable and efficient offshore drilling operation. It is also suitable for applications including offshore loading and specialist operations such as offshore construction.

BP Selects McDermott, BHGE for Subsea Contracts

McDermott International and Baker Hughes (BHGE), a GE company  announced the selection of front-end engineering design (FEED) studies in advance of a substantial engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) contract for BP’s Tortue/Ahmeyim Field Development, a major gas project located on the maritime border of Mauritania and Senegal. During this initial engineering phase, McDermott will work on defining the subsea umbilicals…

Port of London Launches Fully-electric Survey Vessel

In a first for UK ports, the Port of London Authority (PLA) and University College of London (UCL) have launched a fully electric, remotely operated survey vessel.It will support a MSc Hydrographic Surveying course they have run in partnership since 1999.The state-of-the-art platform, manufactured by Maritime Robotics, was acquired by the partners, following a successful bid and award of an £263,000…

BeWild Project to Assess Impact of Offshore Wind Farms on Biodiversity

Dutch offshore survey services provider Fugro, together with other project partners, said Wednesday it would work to develop innovative methodologies and technologies for remotely collecting environmental DNA (eDNA) samples in the North Sea as part of a project called BeWild, aimed at measuring biodiversity at offshore wind farms. The project was recently launched at Fugro's TechCenter in Nootdorp…

China To Invest in More Submarines

China's military has at least three operational Type-094 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, with each being capable of carrying 12 JL-2 missiles that have a range of 8,000 kilometers, says  an article published last week by the Russian Military Observer. By 2020, the Chinese military is projected to field at least four Type-094s and two next-generation Type-096 submarines, carrying around 80 sea-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and 250 to 300 nuclear-armed missiles…

NSWC Team Honored for Robotics Work

Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division's (NSWC IHEODTD) Advance EOD Robotic System (AEODRS) team received a 2014 Defense Standardization Program (DSP) Outstanding Achievement Award during a ceremony held at the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, March 25. This annual award recognizes individuals and teams that through standardization have made significant improvements in quality, reliability, readiness, cost reduction and interoperability.

IMCA Publishes Introduction to Inertial Navigation

The increased use of inertial navigation systems (INS), particularly in support of offshore survey, installation and inspection tasks, has emphasized the need for a general introduction and outline of the use of inertial navigation technology used offshore. The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has published ‘An Introduction to Inertial Navigation Systems’ (IMCA S 022) produced for…

Kongsberg, KBC Enter Software Cooperation

Kongsberg Oil & Gas Technologies AS, a wholly owned subsidiary of Kongsberg Gruppen ASA (KONGSBERG), has announced a non-exclusive cooperation agreement with KBC Advanced Technologies plc  (KBC) to develop stronger simulation software integration and more effective engineering and operation workflows. The objective is to enable the oil and gas marketplace to respond to the demand for significantly…

Saab Leopard Rules the Waves

In a bid to master mountainous seas the Saab Seaeye Leopard ROV system recently delivered to Japan’s Kaiyo Engineering an active heave compensator (AHC) to its launch and recovery system. Kaiyo Engineering, a specialist marine science company, is undertaking seabed research for Tokyo University and is using the Leopard to explore the feasibility of seabed mining. Adding AHC means Kaiyo can work offshore more easily in high sea states…

SMD Launches New Tech Facility for Subsea Innovation

Subsea technology and services company SMD has officially opened SMD Tech Works, a USD$4.03m (£3m) innovation and manufacturing center designed to power the development of world-leading equipment. Strategically located on Newcastle’s Tyne Corridor, an epicenter of subsea innovation, the facility represents a USD$4.03m (£3m) investment that expands SMD’s production capacity and strengthens its position…

Richard W. Spinrad Confirmed to Lead NOAA

Richard “Rick” W. Spinrad, Ph.D., an internationally renowned scientist with four decades of ocean, atmosphere, and climate science and policy expertise, was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and the 11th NOAA administrator.“As an accomplished and respected scientist, educator, communicator and executive, Rick has dedicated his career to the science that is at the core of NOAA’s mission,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo.

Safety Boost: 4Subsea to Monitor Var Energi's Drilling Ops at Balder

Subsea solutions provider 4Subsea has secured a three-year service agreement with the Norwegian oil and gas firm Vår Energi to monitor and analyze wellhead integrity to ensure safe operations for the Balder Future drilling and completion operations in Norway.The company said it would monitor the West Phoenix drilling rig for Var Energi.4Subsea said that its SWIM service employs retrofittable subsea sensors to measure movement and strain on the wellhead.

Dunstall Named JFD Australia Chairman

JFD, part of James Fisher and Sons plc, announce Harry Dunstall has been appointed as its new non-executive Australian Chairman to oversee its future growth and direction in the local defense sector.Dunstall, a previous Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the then Defense Materiel Organization (DMO) in the Department of Defense and currently the Managing Director of Canberra- based strategic advisory firm…

Force Technology Debuts SimFlex Cloud Navigation Simulator Platform

Denmark's Force Technology launched SimFlex Cloud, a dedicated SaaS (Software as a Service) solution designed to offer realistic navigation training by providing global access to Force’s SimFlex simulator and the Den-Mark simulator engine and model library.Developed in-house with 25 years of navigation simulator innovation and experience at its core, SimFlex Cloud builds on the teaching value of Force Technology’s high-fidelity navigation simulators.

"Bonny River" TSH Dredger Delivered

The trailing suction hopper dredger (TSHD) Bonny River built at Royal IHC’s Chinese partner yard COSCO Guangdong Shipyard was recently delivered to the Belgian dredging company DEME. The TSHD features a number of advance technologies, and is driven by controllable pitch propellers and transverse thrusters from Schottel. With a 15,000 cbm capacity, the vessel is capable of dredging hard soil and able…

MTR100: InterMoor

InterMoorHouston, Texas, President/CEO: Mark Jones, CEONo. of Employees: 300www.intermoor.comIn the past 12 months, InterMoor was chosen by operators and large contractors to secure some of the largest floating assets on the planet. During this time frame, it completed tow and permanent mooring engineering and offshore operations for the Ailsa FPSO in the North Sea, the Benchamas FSO 2 in Asia, and mooring line replacement on two FPSOs in West Africa, amongst others.

Forum’s XLe Spirit ROV Completes Sea Trials

Forum Subsea Technologies’ latest remotely operated vehicle (ROV), the XLe Spirit, has completed sea trials in Norway, the manufacturer announced on Wednesday.The vehicle is the first of a new generation of electric observation class ROVs. It is the smallest in the new range, and powerful enough to perform subsea maintenance and repair work. It is suited to the aquaculture market and capable of tasks such as net and tank inspection.Working with its Norwegian partner…

Reach Subsea Charters Two Vessels Amid Increasing Demand

Norwegian company Reach Subsea has made charter agreements for two vessels to meet the increasing demand in the subsea services market.Reach Subsea has expanded its capacity by securing charters for both the Northern Maria and Olympic Taurus vessels.For the Northern Maria, the charter arrangement includes 3 years firm period and 6+6 months options.Northern Maria is a survey vessel with a 20 tons crane and sufficient accommodation and deck capacity…

Fugro Receives New Offshore Survey Vessel

Fugro has formally taken delivery of  'Fugro Brasilis', the fourth of Fugro’s FSSV series of dedicated offshore survey vessels. Designed to the Dutch company's specifications and fitted with the latest survey equipment, Fugro say that these are the most advanced vessels in this field. The new vessel will be utilised on a variety of projects offshore South America. Fugro Brasilis will be capable of carrying out a wide range of offshore services including geophysical mapping…