Accelerating Mapping, Surveys with High Speed ROV Ops

MMT completed offshore integration trials of its new high-speed remotely operated vehicle (ROV) with Sonardyne International’s SPRINT inertial navigation system. The 2,000 meter rated vehicle, named Surveyor Interceptor, has been developed by MMT to improve the speed and efficiency of seabed mapping and pipeline inspections surveys. Its design features a hydrodynamic hull and powerful drivetrain enabling the vehicle to travel at up to six knots…

Scientists Train Students on Oil Spill Research

As part of ongoing research nearly four years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) will team up with a group of high school students in Florida to collect remnants of oil from Gulf Coast beaches this week. Marine chemist Chris Reddy studies how the many compounds that compose petroleum hydrocarbon, or oil, behave and change over time after an oil spill.

New Virus Found in the Ocean

Researchers from MIT and Albert Einstein College of Medicine have discovered a new type of virus that dominates water samples taken from the ocean but has long escaped analysis because its characteristics are not detected by standard tests. The newly identified viruses have long been missed by previous studies due several unusual properties including a lack of “tail” found on most catalogued and sequenced bacterial viruses.

Smart Torque Tool Advances an Electric Future

A breakthrough in electric torque tool technology is set to further advance the capability of electric underwater robotic vehicles, says Saab Seaeye. The electric underwater e-robotic systems manufacturer has collaborated with Australia-based Total Marine Technology (TMT) to launch a new lightweight electric torque tool that is smart, light, simple to fit, fast to set up, has an advanced, high accuracy torque control system and can operate across the Saab Seaeye range of e-robotic vehicles…

New Multibeam Echosounder from Teledyne RESON

Teledyne RESON, a provider of hydrographic sonar solutions, announced the launch of the ultra-high resolution, portable multibeam echosounder, the SeaBat T50-P at the Teledyne Marine Technology Workshop last week in San Diego. The SeaBat T50-P is a new addition to the SeaBat T-series, introduced in the beginning of 2013 as a completely new product generation, built from the ground up. Combined with the Portable Sonar Processor…

IHO Director to Give CARIS Keynote Speech

Developers of geospatial software CARIS inform that Gilles Bessero, Director of International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), will deliver the closing keynote address at the CARIS 2014 conference June 2-5, 2014 in Brest, France. Gilles Bessero, is Director at the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO), the intergovernmental organization whose role is to ensure that the world’s seas, oceans…

Almarin Buoys Reach New Markets

Almarin navigation buoys are being installed in a growing number of markets both in Europe and further afield, proving the effectiveness of their simple reliable design with the use of high quality materials manufactured in Europe. In the Léman lake, border between France and Switzerland, buoys have been installed to mark a floating containment boom in the estuary of Rhone river, nearby Port Valais. The Balizamar buoys used in this case were adapted by the customer for this application.

Raytheon Get US$35-Million Navy LCS Sonar Contract

Raytheon Company says it is to provide the U.S. Navy with AN/AQS-20A minehunting sonar systems and equipment. The system leverages advanced sonar technologies to support the Navy's critical minehunting missions, ensuring safe access and passage for military and civilian vessels on the world's oceans and waterways. Deployed from the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) as the variable depth sonar for the AN/WLD-1 Remote Minehunting System (RMS)…

New Icebreaker Arktika Under RS Survey

Russian Maritime Register of Shipping (RS) has performed survey of the forged blanks of a new generation RITM-200 reactor vessel for the lead dual draft nuclear icebreaker Arktika (project 22220). The new icebreaker Arktika is built to RS class with the class notation КМ   Icebreaker 9   AUT2-ICS EPP. During the construction of the icebreaker, RS experts performed survey of hull, machinery, equipment…

MUM's the Word: New UUV Takes Shape in Germany

As the world of autonomous vehicles flourishes on land and in the air, subsea applications have proven more challenging, despite great strides in recent years to deliver fully autonomous, efficient systems at sea. A team of engineers from Germany, engineers teamed from industry and academia, are aiming to drive the subsea vehicle market further faster courtesy of a project known as the Large Modifiable Underwater Mothership, or MUM.

QINSy

Software design company Quality Positioning Services BV (QPS) has upgraded its hydrographic data acquisition, navigation and processing software package QINSy (Quality Integrated Navigation System). The latest version, 8.10.2015.06.29.1, includes a new feature called Hook-Up Operations for Anchor Handling, for pre-laid anchors powered by Orcaflex of Orcina.Traditional anchor handling, including showing the catenary, was already possible with QINSy.

Aker Solutions Awarded Troll extension

International oil service group Aker Solutions has been awarded a contract by Statoil to deliver three subsea trees, tubing hangers and a tool package to the Troll field on the Norwegian continental shelf. Estimated contract value is NOK 250 million. The extension is a call-off from a contract signed with Statoil in February 2012. The spare tubing hangers will be utilized on several parts of the Troll field.

New MASK Unveiled

Before sending a new ship to sea it helps to know how well it will perform, especially in rough seas. Testing and improving the seakeeping qualities of ship designs is an art that requires a combination of computerized modeling and simulation, scale model testing in a wave making tank, and actually taking a ship to sea. The modernized Naval Surface Warfare Center’s Maneuvering and Sea Keeping (MASK) wavemaker was unveiled at a dedication ceremony on Dec.

Kongsberg to Unveil Subsea Monitoring System at Oceanology Expo

Leak detection and environmental monitoring within the offshore renewables and oil and gas sectors are a key focus for Kongsberg Maritime at Oceanology International 2014, with the world launch of a sophisticated new approach to subsea monitoring. Kongsberg explain that the Modular Subsea Monitoring-Network (MSM) is a flexible solution deployable on projects of all types and scale and is designed to…

LinkQuest Delivers Acoustic Tracking System to IOLR

LinkQuest recently delivered a TrackLink 5000HA, a long-range USBL acoustic tracking system capable of reaching a range of 5,000 meters, to Israel Oceanographic & Limnological Research (IOLR), nonprofit governmental research institute that primarily monitors and conducts research of the marine and fresh water environments. After delivery, the system was immediately installed and commissioned successfully by IOLR.

K-LARS Chosen for Jumeirah Offshore’s New DSV

Kongsberg Evotec, a fully owned subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime, has entered an agreement with CSSC Huangpu Shipyard in Guangzhou China for the delivery of two launch and recovery systems (LARS) for remote operated vehicles (ROV). The contract includes the first delivery of the recently patented K-LARS port frame solution, in addition to a tried and tested moon-pool LARS system. Both are scheduled…

Unmanned Warrior: The Science behind the Systems

It is an exciting time to be a science advisor in the Navy. I am fortunate to be assigned by the Office of Naval Research to Adm. Phillip Davidson, commander of U.S. Fleet Forces, and work to identify and provide technical solutions to capability gaps currently facing our operational naval forces. Office of Naval Research-Global sponsors 25 science advisors at naval commands around the world. Our job takes us to the front lines to understand challenges facing our Navy and Marine Corps…

Exploring Alien Oceans with AUVs

Shielded by a thick, brittle ice surface, a vast warm ocean hides beneath. Scientists consider Jupiter’s smallest moon, Europa, to be the most promising for alien life and have set in motion multiple concept ventures to design an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) which could successfully explore this remote, off-world environment. Many Europa-bound missions are yet to come to fruition and prove the feasibility of this ambitious and complex task, until now.

OPTION Attracts New Partner for Oil Recovery

OPTION (Optimizing Oil Production by Novel Technology Integration) aims to significantly improve simulation tools for the prediction and control of the flow between the horizontal wells and the reservoir – with a focus on enhancing oil recovery. As part of their investment in the project, DONG Energy will contribute with the complete subsurface dataset from the Siri and Stine fields, located in the Danish sector of the North Sea.

MacArtney Winch System for Seafloor Mineral Exploration

Odyssey Marine Exploration (Tampa, Florida) has recently procured a powerful MacArtney MERMAC R50 AHC (Active Heave Compensation) winch for use onboard the R/V Dorado Discovery. In partnership with St. Vincent Bay Exploration (SVBE) based out of Moss Landing, California, Odyssey will use the winch to deploy various seafloor exploration systems and equipment in the Pacific Ocean. Principally renowned…