TGS Partners with Apparition Geoservices

TGS announced a collaboration agreement with Apparition Geoservices to jointly provide integrated, encoded simultaneous source acquisition solutions to drive the next level of efficiency in seismic surveys.During the agreement term of four years, TGS and Apparition will collaborate through joint research, development and testing to fully commercialize Apparition technology in ocean bottom node, towed streamer and XHR data acquisition programs.Apparition has developed and offers…

Seabed Surveys Start for Two 1GW Offshore Wind Farms in Scotland

Thistle Wind Partners (TWP) has launched seabed surveys for its two ScotWind projects – the 1GW Ayre Offshore Wind Farm and the 1GW Bowdun Offshore Wind Farm.The Ayre offshore wind farm is a floating wind project to the east of Orkney, while the Bowdun offshore wind farm is a fixed-foundation project off the coast of Aberdeenshire.TWP is a consortium of DEME Concessions (Wind) NV (42,5%), Qair Marine SAS (42…

Threat to Whales Complicates US Research into Seaweed for Biofuel

In Cape Cod Bay, 10-year-old Pilgrim and her calf skim the water's glassy surface alongside the Shearwater research vessel to feed on tiny crustaceans.The two are among the last surviving 340 or so North Atlantic right whales left migrating along the U.S. East Coast – down from 480 right whales in 2010.The biggest threats they face include being struck by passing ships or getting entangled in ropes used for lobster fishing off the U.S.

GD Electric Boat Scores $1B for Submarine Modifications

General Dynamics Electric Boat, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), was awarded a $1.076 billion contract modification from the U.S. Navy to provide long-lead-time material and advanced construction for Virginia-class fast-attack submarines.Electric Boat is presently under contract for construction of submarines in Block V of the class. The $1,075,896,000 in advance procurement funds from…

Israel to Build Subsea Electric Cable with Possible Europe Link

Israel on Tuesday unveiled plans to build an underwater electric cable that will run along its Mediterranean coast and offer the possibility to connect to electricity grids in Europe.The proposed 150 km (93 mile) cable will carry electricity from solar energy farms in Israel's southern Negev desert to cities to the center and north, the Energy Ministry said.

Hardide Coatings: First ROV Application

Hardide Coatings completed its first application for a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) for Seatronics with exceptional test results, the company claims, resulting in improved performance. Since using the coating on a critical part of the thruster system, the Predator ROV manufactured by Seatronics reportedly has increased in performance and power, with critical wear issues also vastly improved. David Currie…

NOAA, Coast Guard to Collect Data from a Great Lakes Icebreaker

This week, NOAA's Office of Response and Restoration (OR&R) scientists worked with the U.S. Coast Guard during ice-breaking in Lake Superior Harbor in Duluth, Minnesota, aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Spar. This project is the first set of experiments funded by the newly developed Great Lakes Center of Expertise.Teams from both Coast Guard District 9 and NOAA deployed uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) with multispectral…

SEA-KIT Set to Deliver X107T Uncrewed Surface Vessel to ThayerMahan

SEA-KIT International, a company specializing in designing and building uncrewed surface vessels, is preparing to deliver on its export deal with American autonomous maritime solutions provider, ThayerMahan.Connecticut-based ThayerMahan ordered a SEA-KIT X-class Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) last year.According to Sea-Kit, this latest USV, X107T - the seventh X-class to leave SEA-KIT’s production facility in the East of England, boasts several enhancements and technology developments.

US Releases New Strategies to Advance Sustainable Ocean Management

The White House has announced three new federal strategies for conserving and protecting oceans and harnessing their power to strengthen the economy.The announcement reflects the President’s push to address critical challenges that threaten the ocean’s future, including overfishing, warming from climate change, increased acidity due to carbon emissions, and loss of biodiversity.“Earth’s ocean make life possible.

Dive Technologies, Metron Partner Up

Boston-based subsea robotics firm Dive Technologies has entered a commercial partnership with Metron, Inc. "This partnership will directly support the commercialization of Metron’s Autonomy, Navigation, Command & Control (ANCC) software suite on Dive Technologies’ large displacement autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), the DIVE-LD. Initial sea testing of the DIVE-LD with ANCC software was completed in December 2020…

Tethys Robotic's new ROV Leverages Nortek DVL Tech

A new Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) from Switzerland’s Tethys Robotics is aiming to provide a safer alternative to putting divers in the water, utilizing Nortek DVL to complete its navigation solution.Jonas Wüst, CEO at Tethys Robotics, set out to meet these challenges of working efficiently, safely underwater following a student research project at Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH Zurich), a public university in Switzerland.

China To Invest in More Submarines

China's military has at least three operational Type-094 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines, with each being capable of carrying 12 JL-2 missiles that have a range of 8,000 kilometers, says  an article published last week by the Russian Military Observer. By 2020, the Chinese military is projected to field at least four Type-094s and two next-generation Type-096 submarines, carrying around 80 sea-based intercontinental ballistic missiles and 250 to 300 nuclear-armed missiles…

Saab Leopard Rules the Waves

In a bid to master mountainous seas the Saab Seaeye Leopard ROV system recently delivered to Japan’s Kaiyo Engineering an active heave compensator (AHC) to its launch and recovery system. Kaiyo Engineering, a specialist marine science company, is undertaking seabed research for Tokyo University and is using the Leopard to explore the feasibility of seabed mining. Adding AHC means Kaiyo can work offshore more easily in high sea states…

Dolphin's New 3D Seismic Vessel Fully Operational

Dolphin announced that the newly delivered high-capacity 3D seismic vessel, Polar Empress, is in full production towing 14 streamers on the Maud Extension Multi-Client survey in the Barents Sea. At the end of June, the vessel will mobilize for an exclusive contract with duration in excess of three months. Dolphin claims the special purpose built seismic vessel is one of the most advanced vessel in the industry.

2015 MATE International ROV Competition

The Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center, the National Science Foundation (NSF), NSF's Office of Polar Programs, and the Marine Technology Society ROV Committee invite you to our 14th Annual MATE International Studen ROV Competition. Sixty-three teams representing middle schools, high schools, home schools, after-school groups, community colleges, and universities from 16 different countries are scheduled to compete in this year's event…

Chevron, Moreld Invest in Floating Wind Tech Firm Ocergy

Oil major Chevron has, via its Chevron Technology Ventures (CTV), entered the offshore wind arena through investment in Ocergy, a company developing floating offshore wind turbine foundation technology and environmental monitoring buoy.Ocergy, Inc, a company with offices in Oakland, California, and in Aix-en-Provence, France, said Tuesday it had secured investments from Chevron Technology Ventures…

Blighter's Radars to Protect Oil Platforms Offshore W. Africa

UK-based designer and manufacturer of electronic-scanning radars and surveillance solutions Blighter Surveillance System has said it has won a contract to provide its C400 series onshore and offshore installation security radars to protect a cluster of offshore oil platforms and an onshore refinery in West Africa.Without sharing details on the client(s), Blighersaid it had been selected to provide…

Deployable from USV: Kongsberg Launches New AUV at Oceanology International

Norway's Kongsberg Maritime is presenting its HUGIN Edge medium-size autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) at this week's Oceanology International event which started Tuesday in London.According to the company, based in Norway, the HUGIN Edge offers "exceptional durability and reliability," and is designed for deployment from unmanned surface vessels (USVs), small surface vessels, and from shore.Measuring less than 4 meters long…

US Marine Corps Awards UUV Contract to L3 OceanServer

L3 OceanServer announced Thursday it has been awarded a contract to support the U.S. Marine Corps Systems Command for an Iver3 unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) to be used for testing and evaluation.Over the past four years, L3 OceanServer has leveraged hundreds of thousands of operational hours on Iver vehicles to build a system with war fighter driven attributes. With more than 300 vehicles sold to various customers worldwide…

EPC Offshore Named Subsea Company of the Year

EPC Offshore has won the Subsea Company of the Year title at the Subsea UK Business Awards 2013. The top accolade, which acknowledges excellence and achievement in the subsea industry, was awarded to EPC Offshore in recognition of its rapid growth, technical excellence and commitment to staff development and training. The company’s recent successes include a major contract to select the optimum concept for the development of Hurricane’s Lancaster Field…