US Navy Launches Attack Submarine USS Idaho

One of the U.S. Navy’s newest attack submarines, the future USS Idaho (SSN 799), launched from General Dynamics Electric Boat’s Groton, Ct. shipyard into the Thames River, August 6.The "float off," or launch, is a milestone in a submarine's construction, marking the moment it leaves the shipbuilder's facilities and enters the water for the first time, signaling the start of final outfitting, testing…

VideoRay, SES Expand Dealer Agreement

VideoRay and Survey Equipment Services (SES) announced the expansion of their dealer relationship. This enhanced partnership allows SES to sell VideoRay’s cutting-edge Mission Specialist products across an expanded area in the United States. SES is also on track to begin providing local customer service and support upon completion of their training. VideoRay’s Mission Specialist underwater robots are renowned for their industry-leading power…

Satellite-based Solution Helps to Prevent Ship Groundings in Coastal Waters

Recent incidents of naval and commercial vessels running aground have underscored the inherent risks of operating in shallow and poorly charted coastal waters. A solution from Denver-based TCarta Marine utilizes Earth observation satellites to deliver precise water depth measurements in near-shore areas.“While the exact causes of recent ship groundings off the coasts of Oman, Greenland, and Fiji are under investigation and often complex…

NOAA Reveals Names of its New Mapping Vessels

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has revealed the names of two new charting and mapping vessels it ordered from Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors in 2023.The names Surveyor and Navigator were chosen from a list of suggestions by NOAA staff, adhering to the agency’s naming policy that emphasizes vessels named for their missions.The name Surveyor holds significant historical weight.

Teledyne Gavia Introduces ASW Training Target Module

Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) manufacturer Teledyne Gavia said it has recently delivered a Sonar Transponder Module (STM) for ASW training to an undisclosed military customer.The STM module made by Scanmatic AS of Norway and integrated into a Gavia payload module is capable of receiving and retransmitting sonar signals for training sonar operators. The STM consists of a flooded transducer compartment, an electronic compartment and a hydrophone that is towed behind the Gavia AUV.

Autonomous Vehicle Maps the Arctic Seafloor

Far above the Arctic Circle, an autonomous surface vehicle set out to map the seafloor in an effort to improve nautical charts in areas where there is scarce data and vessel traffic is increasing.A team of engineers and students from the University of New Hampshire’s (UNH) Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping, together with personnel from NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, recently returned from an Arctic…

Project to Enable Autonomous Navigation in Denied Environments

A new project involving leading ship technology companies aims to help unmanned autonomous vessels navigate, even when they lose access to global navigation satellite systems (GNSS). The project will combine underwater positioning systems from Sonardyne International Ltd. and Guidance Marine Limited’s relative surface positioning systems into one integrated solution to enable vessels to maintain safe…

Ice Calving Argentina's Perito Moreno Glacier Stirs Awe and Concern

The deep cracking sound bursting from within the ice signals the dramatic fall about to happen. Seconds later, a block of ice some 70 meters (230 ft) tall - the size of a 20-story building - collapses from the face of the Perito Moreno glacier into the aquamarine water below.The sight has attracted visitors to Argentina's most famous glacier for years. Standing on platforms facing the ice, they wait…

REV Ocean Finds Ship Management Partner for New Expedition Vessel

V.Ships, part of V.Group, will partner up with REV Ocean to provide a suite of ship management services for the REV Ocean vessel, deemed the world’s largest and most advanced research and expedition ship.Currently at Vard Søviknes in Norway, the vessel will be equipped to conduct research across the entire marine ecosystem, using advanced technology systems.Scientists and other experts will use it for research expeditions…

OceanServer Wins US Navy Subsea Deal

OceanServer Technology, Inc. has recently been awarded a contract for one Iver3 AUV by the US Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) in Newport, RI. This system will include several Iver3 options just released including the Rowe Technologies, Inc. (RTI) SeaPILOT 600 kHz Doppler Velocity Log with ADCP. The RTI’s SeaPILOT family of Doppler Velocity Logs (DVLs) represents some of the industry’s acoustic Doppler technology.

Schlumberger Debuts StingBlade Bit

Smith Bits, a Schlumberger company, announced today the introduction of StingBlade* conical diamond element bit. StingBlade bits increase run length and rate of penetration (ROP) while delivering improved steering response in directional applications. “In the continuous drive for increasing efficiency and lowering costs while drilling, our customers expect that each section is drilled from shoe to total depth with one drill bit at a high rate of penetration…

Tiburon Subsea Takes Delivery of OceanServer AUV

Tiburon Subsea takes delivery of Ocean Server IVER3-580 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), the first of multiple vehicles being offered for rent to third party operators. Tiburon Subsea is implementing extensive vehicle specific AUV training programs and offering full operator support services with all their AUV rentals. “By certifying qualified operators from established companies we are enabling…

OTC Announces 2013 “Spotlight on New Technology” Award Recipients

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), which takes place May 6– 9, in Houston, has announced 15 technologies that will receive the 2013 Spotlight on New Technology Award recognizing innovative new products that provide significant impact for offshore exploration and production. The awards will be presented May 6, in Reliant Center. The Spotlight on New Technology Awards, which are for OTC exhibitors…

Safety Drives Digital Plant Upgrade, Says Aveva

Aveva’s new business paper examines how 3D laser surveying technology can transform brownfield asset information. Aveva announced its publication of a new business paper, Seeing Through the Fog, describing how recent advances in both 3D laser surveying and Information Management technology combine to enable the capture and use of an accurate digital counterpart of a brownfield plant. It explains how…

Subsea Hardware Spending to Double to $124 Billion

Douglas-Westwood (DW) forecast subsea hardware spending is set to double to $124 billion during 2013-2017 compared to the preceding five-year period. The new third edition of Douglas-Westwood’s Subsea Hardware Market Forecast has launched analyses the market through to 2017, examining the key activity trends to provide detailed insight for major players and new entrants alike. “The prospects for the subsea hardware sector look good…

The Black Sea is a Goldmine of Ancient Genetic Data

When Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) marine paleoecologist Marco Coolen was mining through vast amounts of genetic data from the Black Sea sediment record, he was amazed about the variety of past plankton species that left behind their genetic makeup (i.e., the plankton paleome). The semi-isolated Black Sea is highly sensitive to climate driven environmental changes, and the underlying…

Red Bull Founder Buys DeepFlight Super Falcon Submersible

Hawkes Ocean Technologies said that Dietrich Mateschitz, cofounder of the energy drink company Red Bull, has ordered a DeepFlight Super Falcon submersible. The state of the art, two-person winged submersible craft is being delivered to Laucala Island Resort, on Mr. Mateschitz’ private island in Fiji. DeepFlight Super Falcon, Hawkes Ocean Technologies’ production manned submersible, has been hailed as the Lear Jet of the oceans. Mr.

Metrol Boosts Efficiency with Miko Magnets

Metrol Technology disclosed that it developed a subsea tool from the technology of Miko pipe magnets. The company said it is currently gaining cost and time benefits through having perfected the use of powerful permanent magnets when positioning instrumentation on seabed structures. Most Metrol products are the result of advanced research and innovative technology but it only took some alert lateral…

Metron Get Navy R&D LDUUV Contract

The Department of Defense award Metron Inc. a contract for development of a large displacement unmanned undersea vehicle (LDUUV). Metron, Inc., of Reston, Va.,is being awarded a $7,287,619 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract  to include in-lab integration and testing of autonomy and mission planning software with bench test hardware selected for deployment on the LDUUV. This one-year contract includes two…

Exploring the Abyss

GEOMAR & theABYSS AUV Study the S. For most of human history, the size and depth of the Earth’s oceans have made it nearly impossible for surveyors and scientists to collect valuable and comprehensive data on the seafloor. In recent years, this led to the question:  “Why is it that we cannot map our own planet as well as we’ve mapped the Moon and Mars?”  Since the development of sonar instruments at the turn of the 20th century…