US Hearing to Focus on New Ocean Technologies

The Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation, chaired by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), will hold a hearing next week to examine the proliferation of new ocean technologies, how such technologies could improve government performance, and any impediments that exist in the use of such technologies. The federal government is responsible for recording, understanding, monitoring and protecting…

Kraken Launches OceanVision Project

Starting in late September, Kraken Robotic Systems will deploy its sensors and unmanned underwater platforms to conduct ultra-high definition seabed imaging and mapping on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland and other areas of Atlantic Canada, as part of the initial phase of its $20 million OceanVision project.Kraken’s OceanVision is a three-year project to develop new marine technologies and products to enable an underwater data acquisition and analytics as a service business.

iXblue and 2G Robotics Ink MoU

Technology companies iXblue and 2G Robotics have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to offer a new survey skid for inspection class remotely operated underwater vehicles (ROV). This all-in-one integrated skid will deliver high accuracy inspection capabilities on small ROVs, enabling survey and inspection on low cost assets.Using 2G Robotics’ ULS-500 Micro laser scanner and OBSERVER still camera…

Lifeboat Converted Into Unsinkable Solar-Powered Arctic Excursion Boat

A new solar vessel that can theoretically be submerged and remain unharmed has been produced by repurposing a lifeboat that could originally accommodate 100 people.Two British architects, Guylee Simmonds and David Schnabel, recognized that the craft could be converted into an adventure vessel that could explore the Norwegian Artic while offering its occupants all the comforts of home.“We wanted to experience a range of different cultures…

Saipem Testing Hydrone-R Resident Vehicle

Italian services firm Saipem said it has started functional testing on its Hydrone-R underwater resident vehicle at Sonsub facilities in Venice.The advanced underwater intervention drone is being launched in water for a comprehensive qualification campaign that aims to test all components and subsystems, including the subsea docking base in a real subsea scenario, Saipem said.It was announced that endurance and qualification tests will be carried over several months in open sea…

Wärtsilä Waste Treatment for Princess Cruises

The Finnish technology major Wartsila will supply and install an Auto Gasification solution for the Regal Princess, enabling the safe disposal of waste from the ship through a self-fueling thermal decomposition unit, thereby significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions.The gasification unit on Princess Cruises’ vessel will reduce the ship’s waste to less than 5% of it is original volume, turning…

#Oi2020 History

The 1980s (and into the 1990s) brought about advancements within submersibles used for scientific deep water research. According to the book Advances in Marine Technology, it was marine engineer and submarine Graham Hawkes, who “was recognized for designing approximately 70% of the manned submersibles” manufactured during that time. It was through funding from the Canadian Government that Deep Rover was then launched in Nova Scotia by Hawkes and his co-collaborators Sylvia Earle and Phil Newton.

Subsea Craft Moves Ops to Portsmouth

SubSea Craft Ltd. and BAR Technologies signed a five-year contract to further reinforce their partnership, a deal which will see SubSea Craft move its operations from Havant into the Camber, Portsmouth, Hampshire alongside BAR Technologies.The new agreement, made between SubSea Craft CEO Scott Verney and John Cooper, CEO, BAR Technologies, will cement the relationship for the continued development of the Diver Delivery Unit VICTA .

Wärtsilä Receives Repeat Order from Evergas

Three new 27,000 cbm LNG/Multigas Carriers for Evergas, the Denmark based transporter of petrochemical gases and natural gas liquids, are to be built featuring the integrated Wärtsilä solution, comprising the main propulsion equipment, the gas fuel supply system, and the cargo handling system. This order is an extension of the one placed in 2013 for a series of three similar vessels. The ships are being built by the Sinopacific Offshore & Engineering (SOE) shipyard in China…

HII Delivers REMUS 100 to the German Navy

Huntington Ingalls Industries (NYSE: HII) delivereda new REMUS 100 Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) to the German Navy. The vehicles will be used to expand the German Navy’s current fleet of REMUS 100 UUVs used for mine countermeasure (MCM) operations.The new REMUS 100 UUVs have advanced core electronics and endurance of up to 12 hours. Built on the REMUS Technology Platform, the vehicles are open…

New Handheld Control Pendant for ROV Navigation

Operators of SEAMOR Marine remotely-operated vehicles (ROVs) will be excited about the newest release by the British Columbia-based company. Starting this fall, an all new Handheld Control Pendant will be available to pair with SEAMOR ROVs.The SEAMOR pendant is ergonomic, lightweight, easy to use, and more comfortable for pilots who are undertaking long jobs. SEAMOR Marine wanted to give users the option to step away from the console when needed while still being able to control the vehicle…

Atlantic Shores Keeps Fugro Busy Offshore New Jersey

Dutch offshore survey firm Fugro has won a contract renewal with the U.S. offshore wind developer Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind.The contract is for the provision of real-time wind and metocean measurements off the coast of New Jersey in the U.S. over the next 2 years."The award is the latest in a set of three contract renewals between Fugro and Atlantic Shores based on a successful 2020 work season.

Reach Robotics to Develop Deep-Water Subsea Manipulators

Reach Robotics, an Australian subsea robotics manufacturer, has announced that it is in contract with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) to produce a custom ‘deep water’ variant of their Reach X Advanced Intervention System (RX-AIS).The new subsea manipulator will be rated for depths of over 800 meters below sea water, exceeding the maximum operational depth of any system previously produced by the business.Launched in 2023…

ForeCoast Software to Optimize Modus H-AUV

Subsea vehicles and services provider Modus Seabed Intervention has selected JBA Consulting’s operational management software ForeCoast Marine to help optimize the operation of its hybrid autonomous underwater vehicles (H-AUV).The H-AUV capability is part of a development program by Modus, to introduce advanced and disruptive technologies across its range of services. The UK-based company has selected ForeCoast Marine to optimize the operation of the H-AUV…

VideoRay Bolsters Subsea Mine Detection Robot with Blue Ring Imaging Acquisition

VideoRay, the producer of the Mission Specialist Defender robot recently selected by the US Navy for underwater mine detection and disposal, said Wednesday it had acquired Blue Ring Imaging, a St. Petersburg, Florida-based innovator in 3D visualization, multi-view perception, and simulation for unmanned systems.According to VideoRay, Blue Ring Imaging, known for its OctoView mixed reality software and OctoCAM multi-view 360°camera…

Teledyne RDI Rolls Out New DVL

Teledyne RD Instruments (TRDI) has launched its next-generation Doppler Velocity Log (DVL), the Tasman DVL.In 1995, Teledyne RDI designed and manufactured the industry’s first DVL, the Workhorse Navigator, aand has since delivered thousands of units globally to provide precision onboard navigation for subsea and surface vehicles.The new 600/300 kilohertz Tasman DVL, with its reduced size, weight and increased range…

China Deploys USV to Monitor Water Quality

To detect sudden water pollution outbreak of the city’s mother river in time, the government department of Zhengjia city, a coastal city of China, introduced unmanned surface vehicle to their water monitoring routine to timely find out and restrain all illegal sewage discharge from companies alongside the riverbank.Deployed with a total phosphorus flow injection analyzer, a ME120 autonomous multi-purpose…

JW Fishers Win More UMD Contracts

Police departments & sheriff’s offices around the country are adding underwater metal detectors (UMD) to their crime-fighting armory. An essential tool for locating evidence disposed of in a waterway, metal detectors routinely assist police divers in finding weapons, shell casings, stolen objects, and explosive devices, inform JW Fishers. One group having great success with the underwater metal detector is Houston County Rescue in Webb, Alabama.

Submarine Vermont Delivered to the US Navy

General Dynamics Electric Boat Friday delivered the nuclear-powered attack submarine Vermont (SSN 792) to the U.S. Navy.Vermont is the 19th submarine of the Virginia Class, and the first of the 10-ship group of Virginia-class submarines known as Block IV.Virginia-class submarines displace 7,835 tons, with a hull length of 377 feet and a diameter of 34 feet. They are capable of speeds in excess of 25 knots and can dive to a depth greater than 800 feet…

Sonardyne to Go Carbon Neutral by 2025 End

Marine technology equipment supplier Sonardyne has set a target of becoming carbon neutral by the end of 2025.Sonardyne said the commitment makes it the first company of its type in the UK subsea industry to publicly announce such a target.The goal covers direct and indirect emissions, including those associated with manufacturing as well as supply chain activities, from its UK sites and operations.