Biofouling Foiled: UV Light Harnessed for Biofouling Control

Since the first deployment of in-situ monitoring instrumentation, biofouling has been a problem. Without an effective solution, people have historically had to accept the limits biofouling imposes on ocean sensing work, with significant repercussions. When instrumentation is deployed in-situ, the value of the data taken during the deployment corresponds with the longevity: information gleaned from a longer deployment is often more useful than information from one of a shorter term.

NOAA Orders Newbuild Navigation Response Boats

NOAA today announced that Lake Assault Boats of Superior, Wisconsin, will build two small vessels for the Office of Coast Survey's navigation response program, part of a plan to eventually replace all six of the program's small survey boats. The combined cost of both 28-foot vessels is $538,200. "All of the navigation response team survey boats are nearing or have exceeded their designed service life," said Russ Proctor, division chief of Coast Survey's Navigation Services Division.

New Solution for 3D Subsea Monitoring

Kongsberg Maritime has launched a new solution for the detection of scouring, corrosion, deformation and marine growth, which can destabilize wind turbines and underwater structures causing expensive, and potentially environmentally hazardous damage. On show at WindEnergy Hamburg 2014, the new K-Observer system, which is part of Kongsberg Maritime’s Modular Subsea Monitoring Network (MSM), provides accurate…

AquaPix MINSAS integrated onboard ATLAS SeaCat AUV

Kraken Sonar Inc. wholly-owned subsidiary, Kraken Sonar Systems Inc., has been awarded a contract valued at over C$425,000 ($336,600) by ATLAS ELEKTRONIK Canada to supply and integrate its AquaPix Miniature Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar and Real-Time SAS Signal Processor on the Atlas SeaCat autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). Delivery is expected in September 2017. AquaPix is designed for operation on AUVs and towed platforms.

Saab Seaeye Joins NOC Robotics Innovation Center

Underwater robotics company Saab Seaeye has joined the National Oceanography Center’s (NOC) Marine Robotics Innovation Center, as an Associate Member. For Saab Seaeye, the NOC is an important hub in the development of underwater autonomous and robotic systems, and this new membership will further enable Saab Seaeye to collaborate with other strategic partners in the advancement of underwater robotic systems.

MHI to Build RV for JAMSTEC

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. (MHI) received an order for construction of a wide-area seabed research vessel from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). The vessel will be designed to advance wide-area research into seafloor resources, its comprehensive research capabilities to include elucidation of mineral and ore deposit origins and formation conditions, and will also enable contributions to disaster prevention research.

Teledyne Optech to Present CZMIL’s Work for The Ocean Cleanup

Teledyne Optech chief scientist Dr. Viktor Feygels will attend the Oceans 17 MTS/IEEE in Anchorage, Alaska, September 18-21, to present results from Optech CZMIL Coastal Zone Mapping and Imaging Lidar’s survey of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a large concentration of plastic debris covering hundreds of thousands of square kilometers in the north Pacific. Dr. Feygel’s presentation, co-written with…

Leading Survey Providers Choose HUGIN AUV

Leading survey providers DOF Subsea, Fugro Geoservices, Northwest Maritime and AXA Engehnaria Submarina have chosen Kongsberg Maritime’s autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) HUGIN for offshore operations. According to Geir Espen Schmidt, Vice President AUV in Kongsberg Maritime, the HUGIN orders come from both new and repeat customers for offshore operations. Schmidt said, “We see an increase in the…

Teams Vie for $2m Ocean Health XPRIZE

Down from 77 initial entrants to 18, a diverse group of competitors vie for the Wendy Schmidt Ocean Health XPRIXE’s $2 million cash purse. Nonprofit organization XPRIZE, which creates and manages large-scale, high-profile competitions that aim to stimulate research and development solutions to grand problems across a number of scientific fields, announced in September that 18 team were selected to…

Machines Infused with AI that Fly, Swarm and Dive

Can mimicking insect behavior provide a way to map the ocean floor? Can robotic-controlled flying and diving drones be both bird-like and fish-like in the race to explore the ocean depths? As a global group of 19 semi-finalist teams in the Shell Ocean Discovery XPRIZE compete to create innovative autonomous technologies to image and chart the unknown in a cold, dark and hull-crushing undersea world at depths down to 4…

Building a National Resource Offshore Brazil

CGG has been present in Brazil for over 55 years, since the company began working with Petrobras in 1961. Its long-established Rio de Janeiro Subsurface Imaging Center, with its strong reservoir characterization group, has the largest computer capacity and greatest expertise in the region. In 2010, CGG also opened a technology center in Rio with a world-class R&D team, working with Petrobras and other local agencies to focus on solving local geoscience challenges.

Arctic Explorer AUV Ordered in Australia

International Submarine Engineering Ltd. has signed a contract to build a 5,000 meter depth Explorer class autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) for the University of Tasmania (UTAS) and the Australian Research Council (ARC) Antarctic Gateway Partnership project. This Explorer will be ISE’s fourth under-ice capable AUV that builds on the success of Theseus and the two Arctic Explorer vehicles owned and operated by Natural Resources Canada.

Seismic Vessel Order for Kleven Maritime

Sanco Shipping AS has declared an option for a second seismic vessel to be built at Kleven Maritime’s yard Myklebust Verft in Norway. The vessel, to be named Sanco Sword, is to be delivered in Q1 2014. Its sister vessel Sanco Swift will be delivered from Myklebust Verft in July 2013. Kleven Maritime has nine vessels in its order book, with a total value of more than four billion NOK (€132 million). “We are impressed by Sanco and their investments in the very advanced seismic market.

Morgan Debuts Larger PZT Sonar Blocks

Morgan Advanced Materials has launched a new range of large piezoelectric (PZT) ceramic blocks specifically for use in the defense and commercial sonar markets, thanks to a major breakthrough in the company’s manufacturing capabilities. Morgan Advanced Materials can now press, fire and machine blocks and other shapes of components up to a thickness of 45mm. Resulting in the production of considerably larger components than those previously manufactured at the plant.

Arctic-Ready Seismic Workboat Davits

Norway’s Ulstein yard has delivered the next generation seismic research vessel Polarcus Amani to marine geophysical company Polarcus. The 92 mloa vessel is of the SX134 design and is designed and built for operations in Arctic waters. Vestdavit has supplied two PLR-11000 workboat davits and one PLR-3600 MOB davit for the vessel. Vestdavit is proud to be the sole supplier of workboat davits to Polarcus’ fleet of eight advanced seismic vessels.

Singapore DP Sensors Workshop a Continuing Success Say Sonardyne

Acoustic and inertial navigation company, Sonardyne, has recently held its second successful Dynamic Positioning (DP) sensors technologies workshop in conjunction with Guidance Marine and Veripos. In attendance were industry experts and equipment buyers from across the region, gathered to discover the latest state-of-the-art Position Monitoring Equipment (PME) and to discuss their thoughts on the industry’s future requirements.

Wärtsilä Offer Tempting Menu at Marintec China 2013

A model of the hi-tech WSD 1000 MPSV, a multi-purpose offshore supply vessel with a unique fuel-efficient design, proven hull lines & an integrated equipment package from Wärtsilä, will be on display at the upcoming Expo. Wärtsilä will be at Stand N2F51 at Marintec China 2013, 3 - 6, December 2013 in Shanghai.

Charity Selected for 2015 OTC Dinner

The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) announces the 2015 beneficiary of the Annual OTC Dinner—the Independent Petroleum Association of America (IPAA) and the Petroleum Equipment & Services Association (PESA) Energy Education Center for the benefit of the Energy Institute High School. OTC will host the fifth Annual OTC Dinner on Sunday, May 3, 2015 at NRG Stadium in Houston. The event recognizes industry achievements…

Advanced Monitoring Proves Its Capabilities Offshore

New monitoring technology developed by RED Engineering has been used for the first time to improve accuracy, speed and safety during the installation of jacket foundations for wind turbines at the Beatrice Offshore Wind Farm Ltd project in the Moray Firth, Scotland. The development by the North East-based firm of engineers features remote proximity sensors to confirm the correct engagement of an internal lifting tool (ILT) in use by Seaway Heavy Lifting, a Subsea 7 company.

The Quest to Find and Explore USS Indianapolis

Sunk by Japanese torpedoes near the end of World War II, heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis disappeared to the darkest depths of the Philippine Sea, where it remained undiscovered for more than 70 years. Recently a team of civilian researchers led by Microsoft co-founder Paul G. Allen set out equipped with an arsenal of high-tech search equipment on a mission to locate the historic vessel last seen on July 30, 1945.