Curtiss-Wright Winch Systems for US Navy Sonar

Curtiss-Wright’s Defense Solutions division has been selected by Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems to provide its winch system technology for use in a new Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) for the U.S. Navy Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) class. Raytheon recently announced that it had been awarded a contract by the U.S. Navy to develop the VDS, a mission-critical anti-submarine warfare asset that will be deployed from the LCS to locate and track submarines.

OceanServer Wins US Naval Undersea Warfare Center AUV Contract

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

WASSP Debuts F3 Widescan Sounder

New Zealand based manufacturer of Multi-beam technology WASSP Ltd has introduced its second product for 2016, and the fifth in three years: the WideScan Sounder F3. The F3 Widescan Sounder is the latest addition targeting the coastal fishing market. With the success of WASSP sales in the higher end commercial fishing fleet, WASSP Ltd said it recognized the need for a more cost effective and compact solution for the coastal fishing fleet.

New Technology Measures Tidal Speeds

The Fundy Ocean Research Center for Energy (FORCE), in partnership with Nortek Scientific, announced the construction of the world’s first instrument to provide high-resolution, real time measurements of turbulent water flow at turbine hub height, called the Vectron. The Vectron is able to capture highly accurate measurements of turbulence at a specific height above the sea over long periods of time, beneficial to understanding turbine performance.

Another Milestone for RRS Sir David Attenborough Build

Rolls-Royce is marking another milestone on the journey toward the completion of Britain’s new polar research vessel the RRS Sir David Attenborough being built by Merseyside shipyard Cammell Laird. The last of the vessel’s Bergen B33:45 engines/gensets have been craned into the ship’s hull at Cammell Laird ready to be connected to the RRS Sir David Attenborough’s Rolls-Royce propulsion system. The nine cylinder engines are carefully installed in three separate pieces.

Advanced Polymer Coatings, Reactive Services Ink JV Agreement

Advanced Polymer Coatings, based here, and Reactive Surfaces, Ltd., based in Austin, Texas, have signed a Letter of Intent to combine their technologies in a joint venture to develop exterior marine coatings functionalized with bio-based additives for submersed hull surfaces and stationary structures. Advanced Polymer Coatings is well-known for its premier polymer-based tank coating/lining system, MarineLine® used to protect maritime chemical and product tankers.

Sonardyne Awarded Contract from Magseis

Sonardyne International Ltd., UK said it has secured a contract from Magseis to supply seabed node acoustic positioning technology to support an expansion in the Norwegian seismic services company’s deep water survey activities. The equipment ordered includes a large quantity of Sonardyne’s newly developed SST 6 (Small Seismic Transponder 6), and associated vessel-based acoustic positioning system, Ranger 2 USBL (Ultra-Short BaseLine).

KEP Releases New HD Video Management Systems

Kessler-Ellis Products (KEP), a manufacturer of type approved displays, computers and peripherals, announced the release of its two new high definition video management systems, the HD-SDI (High Definition Serial Digital Interface) Professional and the HD Sport Cam. Able to record in high definition 1080p resolution at up to 60 frames per second, the new KEP cameras are IP68 waterproof rated– submersible to two meters for one hour.

EV Launch Offshore Well Intervention Video Line Equipment

EV, a specialist in downhole video technology, has launched its Optis HD Electric line camera to the well intervention market, which they say can provide vital well diagnosis saving time and reducing risk. The revolutionary new technology, which was three years in development, allows operators to stream colour video, using the latest video technology combined with sophisticated high speed telemetry and video compression techniques.

Seaweed: Fuel of the Future?

Scientists envision a future where fuel made from seaweed grown at large-scale offshore farms will be used to provide green power for homes and vehicles. Now with help from U.S. Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) funding, researchers are working toward making that scenario a reality. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) received $5.7 million from ARPA-E's…

BMT, MSubs Develop Unmanned Craft Test Range

BMT Isis, a subsidiary of BMT Group Ltd (BMT) and supplier of safety and environmental risk management across sectors and Plymouth based MSubs Ltd, a principal supplier of manned and unmanned underwater submersibles for both military and commercial users are collaborating together to develop a fully instrumented Maritime Sea Range in which to test unmanned craft. A Memorandum of Understanding between the companies has been put in place while funding and permissions are secured.

New All-in-one Optical Incremental Encoder from Renishaw

Available to order from August 2016, VIONiCplus is Renishaw's new optical incremental encoder system launched as part of the VIONiC digital all-in-one encoder series. The VIONiC design combines all necessary interpolation and signal processing inside the readhead and eliminates the requirement for additional external interfaces. To this end, Renishaw said it has developed a new Versatile Interpolation ASIC (VIA) chip to perform all of the functions originally executed by the interface.

Unique Group Partners with INNOVO, Kongsberg

Integrated subsea and offshore solution provider Unique Group has entered into a cooperation agreement with Aberdeen’s INNOVO. As part of the agreement, the companies will collaborate to provide sales and rental equipment and engineering solutions for the marine and oil and gas market sectors in the Middle East and South-East Asia region. INNOVO provides services and high technology equipment for renewables, oil and gas and marine business sectors.

MTR100: Teledyne Marine Sensors & Systems (PART I)

Wrapping your arms around the subsea behemoth that is known as “Teledyne” starts at the top of each group, and the man sitting on top of the Marine Sensors and Systems Group is Bill Kikendall, overseeing a collection of 12 companies starting with Teledyne legacy company Geophysical Instruments and including recent acquisitions such as Oceanscience, Bowtech and SeaBotix. From sensors and seismic systems to geophysical to navigation to subsea vehicles…

MTR 100: VideoRay

No. Testing capabilities have always been an integral part of VideoRay’s facilities. Its headquarters in Pottstown, Pennsylvania includes a 5,000 gallon test tank and a pressure chamber. Every VideoRay ROV system and accessory undergoes a thorough inspection and in-water testing by one of our Quality Control managers before it is shipped. VideoRay’s Research & Development facility also contains several additional testing capabilities, including an outdoor pond.

UTEC Survey Adds Two Additional Gavia Offshore Surveyors

Teledyne Gavia reported the sale of two additional 1,000m depth rated Gavia Offshore Surveyor Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) to UTEC Survey Inc., (Houston, Texas). UTEC purchased its first Gavia AUV in August 2011 then took delivery of a second vehicle in April 2012. After honing their AUV operations over the past two survey seasons, the company decided to increase the fleet with the purchase of two further vehicles…

Two Gavia AUVs with EdgeTech Sonars Shipped for Mine Countermeasures

Teledyne Gavia, manufacturer of the Gavia Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV), announced the shipment of two Gavia AUVs equipped with the latest EdgeTech 2205 side scan sonars. The simultaneous dual frequency 600 /1,600 kHz EdgeTech 2205 side scan sonar and the Kearfott T24 inertial navigation system (INS) allow the Gavia to gather high resolution, accurately navigated, sonar images while remaining submerged for several hours of continuous operation at survey speeds up to five knots.

Fugro Showcases New Survey Ship in Texas

Making her debut at the Martin Midstream Dock in Galveston, Texas, Fugro’s new geophysical survey vessel, the Fugro Americas, was showcased to clients, with more than 100 in attendance, the company announced. Fugro gave guided tours of the newbuild vessel, with geophysical, geoscience, survey and HSE professionals on hand to demonstrate its state-of-the-art equipment and features along with the working parts of a geophysical survey.

MTR 100: RECAB

“RECAB is a provider of rugged computers; we are a hardware company,” said Bjørn Espen Aase, Managing Director, RECAB Norway. We met with RECAB at the recent Norshipping in Oslo to catch up with this fast-growing computer integrator, a company which sees its business spread across many industries that demand high-performance rugged computing. “We are a typical subcontractor for the big players like Kongsberg and Rolls-Royce, for example.

Fugro, AGI to Supply Seep Data to Canada

Fugro said it has teamed up with Amplified Geochemical Imaging (AGI) to acquire offshore hydrocarbon seep data in advance of Canada’s 2018 east coast bid round. Bathymetry, backscatter and water column anomaly data will be collected to pull together a comprehensive picture of surficial geological features. These data will be used to identify and precisely target the best locations for geochemical sampling, enabling clients to improve and de-risk their exploration programs.