iXBlue GAPS Makes its Mark in Mexico

C&C Technologies has purchased the iXBlue fourth-generation GAPS USBL acoustic positioning system for the company’s Mexico division. This will be the first time the system is directly available to customers in Mexico. The new system, which was launched by iXBlue early in 2014, will be used to track subsea systems in shallow and deep waters in the Gulf of Mexico and to support a range of other subsea applications such as ROVs, subsea equipment placement, and diver operations.

DST Toolstring Deployed in Gulf of Mexico

International oilfield services company, Expro, has deployed its new design ExACT (Expro Annulus-Operated Circulating and Test Tool) in its first live offshore well. The successful operation, a tubing conveyed perforating ‘shoot and pull’, took place on the Vermillion field offshore in the Gulf of Mexico following trial work onshore in Brazil last year. The tool, one of the most advanced of its kind, combines downhole shut-in and circulating functionality.

PSAT Used for Trout Study on Lake Superior

For the last decade pop-up satellite tags (PSAT) have been used to track migrations of our most important marine mega fauna such as bluefin tuna, great white sharks and other underwater species. Recent technological advances in tagging have finally allowed for the same technology to be transferred to fresh water. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee and U.S.

Disasters at Sea & Their Impact on Shipping Regulation

The history of marine safety is soaked in water and written in blood. “I think that most people will tell you that changes in marine safety are almost exclusively disaster-driven,” agrees Dr. Josh Smith, a professor at Kings Point and interim director of the American Merchant Marine Museum. It hasn’t always been that way. Actually, it’s been worse. Despite some efforts early on to exert some control over shipping practices…

Catamaran and AUV Complete Joint Survey

Norwegian and Canadian partners have completed geophysical area survey in Norway using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) and small catamaran concept.In September 2018 DOF Subsea Norway AS was awarded a contract for The Norwegian Public Roads Administration, Statens Vegvesen (SVV), to perform geophysical mapping of a 5km2 area in Bjørnafjord in Norway. The project was executed using the Hugin AUV…

1.1 GW Floating Offshore Wind Farm earns Key Approval

Mainstream Renewable Power, the pureplay global wind and solar company majority-owned by Aker Horizons ASA, announced that joint venture KF Wind, a 1,125 MW floating offshore wind project being developed off the coast of Ulsan and owned by Mainstream (33.3%) and Ocean Winds (66.7 %), has secured the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval from the Ministry of Environment for the totality of the two-phase project.

NEW PRODUCT: EIVA Debuts Entry-level Hydrographic Survey Software

EIVA’s new software variant NaviSuite Kuda Core provides advanced hydrographic survey software capabilities at an entry-level price. Tailored to support hydrographic surveys with a single USV or small survey vessel using multi-beam echosounder (including backscatter), LiDAR and/or camera, this software solution is  priced at €1,998 annually, designed to be simple to configure and run.In addition, it provides advanced hydrographic survey features from NaviSuite Kuda software…

Ashtead Technology Adds iXblue Subsea Positioning Systems to Its Rental Fleet

Subsea equipment rental and solutions specialist Ashtead Technology said it has added iXblue subsea positioning systems its rental fleet.The investment includes the addition of iXblue’s Gaps M5 USBL acoustic positioning systems which are now available to rent throughout the company’s nine international technology and service hubs.Gaps M5, the latest addition to iXblue’s USBL product range, is a medium…

SEA-KIT's USV Equipped with Innovative Connectivity Solution by Inmarsat

Maritime and offshore mobile satellite communications specialist Inmarsat has installed a new connectivity solution on SEA-KIT's uncrewed surface vessel (USV) Maxlimer using virtualized networks that the company says will establish higher standards for over-the-horizon uncrewed vessel control.The installation connects the USV Maxlimer to the best available network at all times by switching as necessary between Fleet LTE…

Cook Islands Deal with China on Seabed Mining Spurs Protest

A strategic partnership deal between China and the Cook Islands spans areas from deep-sea mining to education scholarships but excludes security ties, a document released by the Pacific island nation's government showed.Western nations that traditionally held sway in the region have become increasingly concerned about China's plans to increase influence after Beijing signed defence, trade and financial…

3D at Depth Acquires Hybrid AUV/ROV

Subsea laser LiDAR (SL) technology and 3D data visualization solutions specialist 3D at Depth Inc. has acquired Saab Sabertooth Hybrid AUV / ROV. The company said that the multi-million-dollar investment will complement 3D at Depth's SL Subsea LiDAR laser technology systems and 3rd party geophysical equipment, giving the company "an impressive spread of integrity measurement equipment.""The Hybrid…

Schmidt Sciences Fosters AI Research

Schmidt Sciences has named 25 scholars working at the forefront of AI as AI2050 fellows and will award them up to $12 million to advance research that realizes the potential of AI to benefit humanity.The AI2050 program asks researchers to imagine the year 2050 where AI has been hugely beneficial and to pursue projects that help society realize this.The program will fund senior researchers and early career scholars for two years.Previous senior fellows in the first two cohorts include Prof.

Aker Solutions Introduces Three Floating Wind Foundation Designs

Aker Solutions has unveiled three floating wind foundation designs – the YFloat, CONFloat-Omega, and CONFloat-7C – engineered to maximize energy production, simplify construction and reduce maintenance.All three have passive ballast systems and the capability of supporting turbines that are 15 MW and larger.The YFloat is an advanced steel floating substructure meticulously designed to provide a stable…

Kapnick Named NOAA Chief Scientist

Sarah Kapnick, Ph.D., was named as NOAA’s chief scientist today. Kapnick will serve as the senior scientist for the agency, advancing policy and program direction for NOAA’s science and technology priorities. She is the third woman in NOAA’s history to be appointed to this role.An executive with 18 years of experience at the intersection of climate science and economics, Kapnick was most recently a managing director at J.P.

Aquaterra Energy to Deliver Well Services Work for North Sea CCS Project

Offshore engineering solutions provider Aquaterra Energy has secured two major contracts to support the Northern Endurance Partnership (NEP), the CO2 transportation and storage provider for the East Coast Cluster.The project, which will initially serve three carbon capture projects in the Teesside region is the first offshore carbon capture and storage (CCS) project in the U.K. to receive a carbon…

R.M. Young: President Transition as Namesake Tom Young Retires

R.M. Young Company, a leader in meteorological instrumentation, announced the retirement of President Tom Young, marking the end of an era for the family-founded and operated company. Tom, who has been an integral part of the company since 1991, officially stepped down as President on April 1, 2025. He is succeeded by Eric Mannix, President and CFO.Tom Young’s career at R.M. Young Company spans over three decades…

Decarbonization: Geothermal Study Launched to Repurpose Old North Sea Wells

Petrofac, an international service provider to the energy industry, will be supporting deep geothermal specialist CeraPhi Energy in what has been described as a first-of-a-kind geothermal study looking at the repurposing of oil and gas wells using CeraPhi’s technology.The study, supported by the Net Zero Technology Centre in Aberdeen, will cover the initial phase of a staged process to determine how retrofitted wells can reduce the carbon footprint of an operating platform.

Unplugged: Resident AUVs & ROVs Powered by Wireless Inductive Connectors

Unplugged, an engineering company for industrial inductive modules, presented their paper, "Enabling Resident AUV and ROV Subsea Operations: The Role of Wireless Inductive Charging and Docking Stations," at the Offshore Technology Conference 2025. The paper explores the potential of wireless inductive charging technology, enabling the deployment of Subsea Docking Stations (SDS) as a cornerstone for the operation of resident autonomous underwater drones.

NUWC Division Newport Awards Recognize 12 Patent Inventors, Published Authors

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport’s newest crop of inventors and authors were celebrated during a ceremony that recognized the latest patents and journal articles on May 30. The event capped a technical focus theme of “Innovation” held throughout May and coincided with National Inventors Month.Plaques featuring 12 patents and an equal number of peer-reviewed publications were on display as Chief Technology Officer Dr.

WHOI: Dive Team Awarded by International Organization

The Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s dive team was recently received a top international award for its commitment to quality training, safety, and the support of scientific missions in multiple facets of diving techniques. The honor was recognized by the International Academy of Underwater Sciences and Techniques at the European Dive Show.The WHOI dive team is comprised of about 50 divers, making approximately 1200 dives a year, in locations around the world.