European Consortium Targets Sustainable Seabed Mining

The European Commission is helping to take seabed mining to the next level by funding a four-year project entitled: “Breakthrough Solutions for Mineral Extraction and Processing in Extreme Environments – Blue Mining”. The overall aims of this project are to develop new cost-effective solutions for environmentally friendly mining and processing in difficult conditions and extreme environments, and to further unlock the large potential of raw materials in Europe.

SHI to Build Eighth Drillship for Pacific Drilling

Pacific Drilling exercises contract option for Samsung Heavy Industries to construct another Ultra-Deepwater Drillship. The drillship will have a rated water depth of 12,000 feet, be equipped for 40,000 feet drilling depth, have accommodation for 200 personnel and be equipped to support dual gradient drilling. The total cost, excluding capitalized interest, will be approximately $620 million and delivery is scheduled for March 16, 2015.

AUV Systems Order for Saab

Defence & security company Saab sign contract for delivery of its AUV62 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) systems in training configuration. The AUV62 is an advanced and highly modern and capable system for cost-efficient training of a navy’s ASW forces. The AUV62 is an artificial acoustic target that mimics a submarine in a way that is compatible with any torpedo- and sonar system on the market today.

Offshore Maritime Simulator Contract for Kongsberg

Kongsberg Maritime simulators have been selected for Maersk Training's new centre in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The delivery to Maersk Training Brazil Treinamentos Maritimos LTDA is under a non-exclusive frame agreement signed earlier by Kongsberg Maritime and Maersk Training. The Kongsberg Offshore Vessel Simulator at Maersk Training Brazil will be operational in the second quarter 2013. The new simulator…

Mobile App Boosts Navigation Safety

Conrad Blucher Institute Develops Mobile App to Increase Navigational Safety along Nation’s Second-Largest Port. Researchers have designed and are implementing a new mobile application to provide ship captains and pilots with real-time predictions of ocean water levels and currents along the Houston Ship Channel, which services the second-largest port in the United States, the ports of Houston and Galveston.

Miros Sensors put to the test in the Port of Gdynia

Miros has installed a tailored environmental monitoring system to support a three-year research project at the port of Gdynia in Poland. The custom system is designed to provide accurate current and wave measurements and oil spill monitoring from a strategic location in the bay of Gdansk. The expected results will be used to create recommendations for the operation of unmanned units in ports and will be made available to governmental organisations.

Chart Tile Service to Aid Charts Update

NOAA Coast Survey gives commercial navigation systems better tool to receive updated nautical charts. Accessing up-to-date nautical charts on electronic systems and mobile apps is about to get easier, as developers start adopting NOAA Coast Survey's new Chart Tile Service prototype. Navigational chart users should not notice any difference in how their charting systems operate - except that service…

USACE Galveston Taps eTrac for $13M Hydrographic Surveying, Mapping Contract

The shared capacity, indefinite delivery contract will support USACE Civil Works projects to help advance navigation safety, dredging, flood control and hurricane response.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District awarded eTrac, a Woolpert Company, with an architect-engineer contract to provide hydrographic surveying and mapping services within the Galveston District and potentially the USACE Southwest Division.

Teledyne Slocum Gliders Delivered to OceanPact in Brazil

Teledyne Marine announced it has delivered of three Teledyne Webb Slocum G3 Gliders to OceanPact, located in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.OceanPact offers services for the study, protection, monitoring and sustainable use of the sea, coast, and marine resources for clients from various sectors including offshore energy, mining, telecommunications, ports, navigation, tourism, fishing and aquaculture. OceanPact…

Fugro Nets Offshore Namibia Survey Contract

The Portuguese oil and gas firm Galp has awarded the Dutch company Fugro a contract to conduct an environmental and geophysical survey offshore Namibia. "Known for its remote location, challenging conditions and ultra-deep water, this site is key to future energy operations in the region. Fugro's advanced technology and expertise in marine geophysical and environmental surveys ensured efficient and accurate data collection…

KVH Intros Digital Crew Welfare Solution

KVH Industries, a provider of mobile connectivity and inertial navigation systems, has introduced a new digital content service called KVH Link to help shipowners, operators and managers provide rest-time entertainment for seafarers and increase onboard productivity.KVH Link provides timely and popular news, sports, movies, TV, music, karaoke, podcasts, documentaries, trending social videos, in the…

Fugro Expands Geotechnical Vessel Fleet

Dutch offshore survey company Fugro has expanded its geotechnical vessel fleet with the Fugro Quest vessel. According to Fugro, the vessel is equipped with advanced deep-water technology."Fugro uses this type of vessel to determine the exact composition of the soil; the resulting data are essential to establish the optimal location and design of offshore developments, such as wind farms," Fugro explained.The…

Voyis Imaging Chosen as the Camera Package for HII REMUS Vehicles

HII has selected Voyis Imaging Systems as the standard camera option for all REMUS UUVs (REMUS 100/300/620/6000). Voyis has developed the Recon UUV module, consisting of a highly advanced 4K stills camera and extremely efficient, high output external light bar, that enhances all REMUS platforms imaging capabilities in any operational situation. The Recon camera module offers extremely crisp stills imagery with on-the-sensor data processing for real-time…

Scana's Subseatec Wins 'Sizeable' Riser Joints Order

Scana's Subseatec has won a contract with an international energy company for the delivery of riser joints. The joints are intended for an offshore field development. Scana said the deal was a sizeable contract for the company, meaning it is worth between NOK 10 million and NOK 50 million.Subseatec’s scope is a delivery of ready-to-use riser joints in low alloyed steel, including engineering, manufacturing, procurement, and documentation.

Racing to the Bottom: Seabed Warfare Brings Threats, Opportunities

In the early morning hours of September 26, 2022, seismologists located throughout northern Europe detected two disturbances originating in the Baltic Sea that were consistent with underwater explosions. Within hours, an aerial image captured by a passing Danish F-16 showed an expanse of frothy seawater, suggesting that the Nord Stream 1 and Nord Stream 2 gas pipelines had experienced a catastrophic event.

Divers Find Deepest Known Shipwreck USS Johnston

A privately funded mission has found, surveyed and filmed the USS Johnston, the world’s deepest known shipwreck, offshore Samar Island in the Philippines Sea.The expedition was backed by Victor Vescovo, is an entrepreneur, explorer and retired U.S. Navy Commander who personally piloted his submersible DSV Limiting Factor down to the wreck during two separate, eight-hour dives 21,180 feet (6,456 meters) below the ocean's surface.

DOE Seeks Input on Mooring & Anchoring Systems for Floating Wind

The U.S. Department of Energy is seeking input on research needs related to floating offshore wind energy mooring and anchoring systems. For this, DOE's Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) has issued a Request for Information (RFI).Apart from input on research priorities, DOE is seeking information on state-of-the-art innovative technologies, state-of-the-practice common operations, and aspirational targets to help meet deployment goals…

Oceaneering's Hybrid AUV/ROV Achieves TRL 6 For Pipeline Inspection

Subsea services and technology specialist Oceaneering said Monday that its Freedom AUV, has achieved Technology Readiness Level 6 on a 1-9 scale.Oceaneering said that its Freedom, a hybrid AUV/ROV system, is the result of a long-term collaborative relationship between Oceaneering, TotalEnergies, and Chevron dating back to 2014, with Equinor joining the collaboration in 2019. In 2014, Oceaneering began efforts to optimize the delivery of a pipeline inspection service from an AUV.

VideoRay Acquires Blue Ring Imaging

VideoRay has acquired Blue Ring Imaging, a St. Petersburg, FL-based innovator in 3D visualization, multi-view perception, and simulation for unmanned systems.Blue Ring Imaging, known for its OctoView mixed reality software and OctoCAM multi-view 360°camera, will improve situational awareness and object detection capabilities of VideoRay's Defender. Blue Ring Imaging already boasts an impressive client list…

First in Middle East: Aramco’s Survey Vessel Gets ABS' Infectious Disease Mitigation Notation

Aramco’s hydrographic survey vessel, KARAN 8, has become the first in the Middle East region and second worldwide to be awarded an ABS Infectious Disease Mitigation (IDM) notation.ABS' IDM-A notation is offered to vessels that meet the arrangement requirements addressing the configuration of spaces that can be used for the isolation and segregation of crew, passengers, and onshore visitors, as well…