Flemish Hydrography brings autonomous survey vessel ‘Nemo’ into operation
Flemish Hydrography – Vlaamse Hydrografie in Dutch – has introduced a new uncrewed surface vehicle (USV) named Nemo to support hydrographic surveys in shallow and hard-to-reach areas, such as marinas and the coastal foreshore. The organization is part of the Maritime Services and Coast Agency (MDK) in Flanders, the northern region of Belgium.
Measuring approximately three metres in length, Nemo is electrically powered, highly manoeuvrable and features a shallow draught. It can operate remotely or follow pre-programmed routes autonomously. The USV is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, including multibeam and single-beam sonar systems, a 360° camera, advanced communication and navigation tools and an intelligent obstacle avoidance system.
The complete system was delivered by Belgian company GEOxyz, in collaboration with dotOcean, and included a two-day training course for Flemish Hydrography staff. Initially, Nemo will be transported by road and launched either via a slipway or from a vertical quay wall using a custom hoist system. Its trailer has also been outfitted as a mobile operations unit, complete with monitoring workstations and charging facilities, enabling full-day autonomous fieldwork. In a second phase, Nemo will be deployed from the mother ship Sirius (DAB Fleet) to conduct surveys along shallow coastal zones during favourable weather conditions.
As hydrographic operations increasingly adopt uncrewed solutions, the introduction of Nemo marks an important step forward for Flemish Hydrography in pursuing safer, greener and future-oriented marine surveying in Belgium.
