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…

HoOK R&D Project Examines Offshore Crane Ops

With funding from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology and supported by “Projektträger Jülich” (PTJ) [project sponsors Jülich], over the next three years Hamburg University of Technology, Mareval AG Hamburg and the maritime engineering company HeavyLift@Sea will conduct research into the improvement of tools for the simulation of offshore crane operations. The project is named HoOK - Hochseeoperationen mit Kranen [Offshore Operations with Cranes].

Unconventional Wisdom

Atle Jacobsen the CEO of Dolphin Geophysical, is, in many ways, a bit of a paradox. An experienced, no-nonsense, veteran of the marine seismic surveying industry, he is also disarmingly easy to ‘talk shop’ with, engaging and has an obvious thirst for new ideas and technology. But the core contradiction lies in his approach to business. This is a man that shows no qualms about ripping up the rulebooks and making brave decisions…

OceanServer Orders 10 DVLs from Teledyne RDI

Teledyne RD Instruments (TRDI) has received an order for 10 custom-designed Explorer Doppler Velocity Logs (DVLs) to provide precision navigation and current profiling capability on board OceanServer Technology’s Iver3-580 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). These vehicles are designed for customers and applications which include the U.S. Navy Fleet Survey Team for littoral data collection to support the Warfighter's needs…

ABB To Help Save Venice From the Sea

ABB to deliver advanced integrated automation and electrical solution for largest Italian public work project of the last century. ABB will supply the complete integrated electrical and automation system for Mo.S.E. (the Italian acronym for experimental electro mechanic module), a flood barrier system designed to block the high tides and storm surges that enter the Venetian Lagoon year after year through three inlets and regularly flood the historic center of Venice.

Launch of 'The Jefferson Project at Lake George NY'

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, IBM (NYSE: IBM), and the FUND for Lake George announce the launch of “The Jefferson Project at Lake George,” a 3-year, multi-million dollar collaboration with the goal of understanding and managing complex factors in the waters of the lake. Lake George, about 50 miles north of Albany in upstate New York, is known internationally for its crystal-clear waters with a depth of up to 200 feet.

Kongsberg Wins Drilling Rig Contracts in China and Korea

CIMC Yantai Raffles in China and STX Offshore & Shipbuilding in Korea have selected extensive Dynamic Positioning (DP), Automation, new generation Safety System, Integrated Navigation, Hydroacoustic positioning and latest riser management solutions from Kongsberg. The contracts are for two new Frigstad D90 Design drilling rigs and one Bassoe Technology BT-UDS Design drillship. The total value of the contracts is in excess of MNOK 150. The contracts have options for a total of 8 additional units.

Portsmouth Pilots Use High Detailed Charts

Portsmouth Pilots are now using bathymetric ENCs in combination with official ENCs on their Portable Pilot Units. For many years Portable Pilot Units (PPUs) with SevenCs pilot information systems have been successfully used by a large number of pilot organizations. As a result of this collaboration, SevenCs has developed a brand new system, called ORCA Pilot G2. It includes the typical functions of a navigation system for touchscreen operation…

The Role of Simulation Software in Yacht Racing

Cape Horn Engineering was founded in 2007 with the vision of using the best available CFD tools for the design of racing yachts. They have been involved in several America’s Cup campaigns and their designs have dominated the Around-the-World Volvo Ocean Race for almost a decade, winning three times in a row, with ABN Amro (2005/06), Ericsson Racing Team (2008/09) and Groupama Sailing Team (2011/12).

Deep Sea Mooring Wins Diamond Offshore Contract

The Netherlands based offshore services provider Vryhof and its mooring business Deep Sea Mooring (DSM) on Tuesday announced the signing of a multi-year agreement with offshore drilling company Diamond Offshore.Under the terms of the deal, DSM said it will provide a broad array of mooring and related equipment to several of Diamond’s rigs, as well as a range of engineering and rig services expertise.Wolfgang Wandl…

Another Navy Uses Navigator

The Swedish Defense Material Administration (FMV) selected Shark Marine’s Navigator, diver held sonar and navigation system, as its Diver Documentation and Sensor System (DDSS). The modularity of the Navigator allows it to be configured to best meet the DDSS requirements of the Swedish Armed Forces, Navy EOD team. The Navigators will be used by the Navy Clearance Divers during search and clearance operations for underwater sea mines, ordnance or other objects, familiar or unfamiliar.

New Birns Titan 4,000 Watt HMI Floodlight

Birns, Inc. introduced the newest lighting innovation in the sea: the Birns Titan. This robust 4,000 watt, intensely bright lighting system delivers 380,000 lumens with its hydrargyrum medium-arc iodide (HMI) lamp. The powerful lamp features a high Color Rendering Index (CRI) of Ra > 90 and 6,000K color temperature. It provides massive light output, mixing mercury vapor with metal halides in a quartz-glass envelope…

SITECH Technology Dealer Established in Myanmar

Trimble announced today that a SITECH Technology Dealer has been established in Myanmar. SITECH Myanmar joins the network of SITECH dealerships—a fully dedicated global distribution network offering a portfolio of construction technology systems to heavy contractors. SITECH Technology Dealers represent Trimble and Caterpillar machine control systems for the contractor’s entire fleet of heavy equipment regardless of machine brand…

NOAA and Aquarium of the Pacific to Host First-Ever National Forum

'Ocean Exploration 2020: A National Forum,' will bring together more than 100 ocean explorers and representatives from federal agencies, state governments, non-governmental organizations, universities, ocean institutions and leading industries to shape a U.S. national ocean exploration program. The Forum, to be held at the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach, July 19-21, will gather experts with the aim of developing a national program that will be fully implemented by 2020.

Seatronics Appoint Thiago Montanari Sales Manager

Seatronics do Brazil, an Acteon company, appoint Thiago Montanari as sales manager. Montanari is based in Rio de Janeiro and will report directly to Seatronics vice president, Fabio D’Agostino. Montanari has six years of experience in the offshore industry, working extensively in the Caspian (Kasakhstan), Mediterranean, Adriatic and Caribbean (Cuba) seas, as well as in Angola, Patagonia and Libya.

YSI Releases New Amazon Bubbler

Low power e-ink display, capacitive touch buttons and advanced design are a few features of the new YSI Amazon Bubbler water level sensor, recently released by YSI, a Xylem Inc. brand. Designed with simplicity in mind, the WaterLOG, Amazon Bubbler is suited for long-term, water level and flow monitoring sites. It can be used as a stand-alone system with internal data storage, or as a sensor connected to any manufacturers’ data logger.

SeaPerch: Inspiring The Next Generation

LSU Site of Sixth National SeaPerch Challenge – Underwater Robotic Championships; 2016 marks the sixth year of the National SeaPerch Challenge, an underwater robotics competition. On Saturday, May 21, the Sixth National SeaPerch Challenge will be held on the campus of Louisiana State University (LSU) in Baton Rouge. More than 200 teams of middle and high school students from across the country, an impressive increase of almost 50 percent over last year…

Submarine Bidders Step up Lobbying for Australia Tender

Japan's advanced attack Soryu submarine carried out drills with Australia's navy on Tuesday as a German company launched a campaign to advertise its expertise - as a race for a A$50 billion contract to build Australia's next submarine fleet neared a climax. Industry sources told Reuters the Australian government is speeding up its decision on the contract - France is the other major bidder - with a winner now expected to be announced by the end of the month.

Sonardyne Navigation Chosen for Thai AUV Program

A new autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) being developed by a joint-research program between PTT Exploration and Production Public Company Limited (PTTEP) and Kasetsart University (KU), Bangkok, Thailand will feature marine robotics navigation technology supplied by Sonardyne Asia Pte. Ltd, of Singapore. The order for Sonardyne’s SPRINT inertial navigation system (INS) and Syrinx Doppler Velocity Log (DVL) was placed by the PTTEP-KU and will be integrated on a 4…

New Multibeam Z-Boat

Teledyne Oceanscience, in partnership with Teledyne Odom Hydrographic, unveiled the first public demonstration of a multibeam echosounder-equipped Z-Boat 1800 autonomous remote survey boat at the U.S. Hydro 2015 Conference. The 1.8-meter distinctive yellow survey boat is found in action all over the world conducting single-beam surveys in rivers, lakes and industrial water. The Z-Boat is typically used when access is restricted or conditions are unsafe for a manned vessel.