In-mission Processor Allows Real-time Processing of HISAS Data

Hydroid, Inc., a subsidiary of Kongsberg Maritime and a leading manufacturer of marine robotic systems, today announced they have integrated an in-mission processor on a REMUS 600 Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUV) with the KONGSBERG High-Resolution Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Sonar (HISAS) 2040 for a customer. By integrating the in-mission processing, the high-resolution images from the HISAS module can be quickly downloaded when the vehicle returns from its mission. Gap-filled Image HISAS 2040 provides up to 2cm by 2cm resolution across a 300-meter swath. When combined with the onboard EM2040 it provides a complete, gap-filled image. Synthetic aperture sonar uses algorithms to... (read more)

2019-12-03 03:26:42

Inspection and 3D Modelling Project at Galloper Offshore Windfarm Completed

Subsea technology specialist Rovco has completed an extensive ROV inspection contract. This circa £1 million contract has resulted in the completion of the baseline asset integrity survey at the newly constructed Galloper Offshore Wind Farm, a 353MW installed capacity wind farm which lies 30km off the coast of Suffolk, UK. The project, which was awarded by Innogy Renewables UK, began in September - with 24-hour ROV operations provided over a four-week period. Rovco deployed a Cougar XT ROV fitted with both 3D imaging sonar and their SubSLAM 3D technology to complete planned asset inspection activities. The project was performed from... (read more)

2019-11-23 10:48:32

'Caribbean Faces Numerous Threats To Its Natural Resources'

TCarta Marine, a global provider of geospatial products and services, has opened an office in Kingston, Jamaica, led by Carol Fisher. Officially operating as a separate Jamaican company, TCarta Caribe offers the complete line of TCarta satellite-derived bathymetry, seafloor classification, land use/land cover, and air quality solutions to Jamaica and the entire Caribbean region. “Jamaica and many nearby Caribbean islands are developing nations seeking to balance economic growth with environmental preservation,” said TCarta President Kyle Goodrich. “The Caribbean faces numerous threats to its natural resources from hurricanes, rising sea levels, and pollution, but budgets are limited,” he added. Senior Hydrographer Carol... (read more)

2019-11-13 10:37:03

Multiplexers Simultaneously Transmit Data Along a Single Communication Channel

MacArtney, headquartered in Denmark, has recently supplied the latest in a series of seven customised NEXUS MK C ‘Super MUX’ multiplexers to MMT, providers of customised marine surveys for the offshore energy industry. Multiplexers, designed to simultaneously transmit data along a single channel of communication, provide operators with the opportunity to gather numerous types of data at once. The Swedish based, MMT working in close collaboration with Reach Subsea, ordered the customised NEXUS MK C connectivity solution (named the Super MUX by MMT) from MacArtney Underwater Technology earlier this year. Offshore Energy Industry MMT assists the global industry with a range... (read more)

2019-11-06 10:36:30

How to Carry Out an Asset Inspection Survey

Bibby HydroMap, a UK-based company, has successfully completed an asset inspection survey of several bridges and the Weaver Sailing Club along the River Weaver in Cheshire (UK). This was an opportunity to demonstrate its marine 3D imaging capabilities in a highly dynamic and fast-flowing environment. The River Weaver is a marine connection between a number of businesses along the river and the Manchester Ship Canal and, ultimately, the Irish Sea, the integrity of which is paramount to their commercial operations. Locate Any Obstructions to Navigation The aim of the survey was to assess the condition of the bridges which span the... (read more)

2019-11-03 01:52:53

‘Hydrography is Both a Science and a Technique’

7 Questions to the New Director General of the French Hydrographic Office

Chief weapons engineer Laurent Kerléguer was appointed director general of Shom, the French hydrographic office, in July 2019. In this interview, Hydro International asks him about the latest developments regarding the world of hydrography, climate change and artificial intelligence. “It’s becoming more urgent than ever to measure the ocean.” Chief weapons engineer Laurent Kerléguer was appointed director-general of Shom, the French hydrographic office, in July 2019. In this interview, Hydro International asks him about the latest developments regarding the world of hydrography, climate change and artificial intelligence. “It’s becoming more urgent than ever to measure the ocean.” Laurent Kerléguer was born in Brest, France, and has always lived by – or close to – the sea. Although he never had a ‘dream job’ as a child, he always had the feeling that his career would be linked to the sea. “For me as an engineer, hydrography is the perfect... (read more)

2019-10-29 11:34:23

TerraSond Completes First Geophysical Survey for Mayflower Wind

TerraSond, an Acteon company, has completed a high-resolution geophysical survey for Mayflower Wind, a joint venture between Shell New Energies US LLC and EDPR Offshore North America LLC. The two-month campaign, which began in July 2019, surveyed an area, 20 miles south of Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, USA, that can support up to 1,600 MW of offshore wind. The wind farm is scheduled to deliver energy in the mid-2020s and has the potential to power up to 680,000 homes. The project is TerraSond’s first with Mayflower Wind. High-resolution Geophysical Data TerraSond acquired high-resolution geophysical data using a complete suite of equipment in... (read more)

2019-10-29 09:17:18

Fugro Completes Deepwater AUV Surveys for Shell in US Gulf of Mexico

Fugro has completed several high-resolution geophysical surveys in the US Gulf of Mexico for the Shell International Exploration and Production Company. The project required data collection over multiple deepwater lease blocks in the greater Perdido and Mars development areas to support clearance of potential environmental, engineering, geological and archaeological hazards ahead of planned drilling activities. As the preferred contractor for this project, Fugro deployed a Hugin autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) from its purpose-built survey vessel, the Fugro Brasilis. The Hugin AUV is depth-rated to 3000m and equipped with a multibeam echosounder, side-scan sonar and sub-bottom profiling sensors. As such, Fugro... (read more)

2019-10-15 09:04:53

Shipwreck Monitoring in the North Sea

Surveyors Discover World War One Submarine

In order to guarantee nautical depths, the Rijkswaterstaat survey department runs an annual seabed monitoring programme. In July 2019, research vessel MS Arca left its homeport of Scheveningen, the Netherlands, to conduct a shipwreck survey that included a World War One submarine. In order to guarantee nautical depths, the Rijkswaterstaat survey department runs an annual seabed monitoring programme. In July 2019, research vessel MS Arca left its home port of Scheveningen, the Netherlands, to conduct a shipwreck survey that included a World War One submarine. As an executive agency of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, Rijkswaterstaat facilitates smooth and safe maritime traffic in the Dutch North Sea. One of its activities is an annual seabed monitoring programme. Apart from a few deeper spots, the Dutch part of the North Sea is in general 35 metres deep, while the coastal... (read more)

2019-10-03 02:57:46

Optimizing the Choice of DVLs for Noisy Environments

Reliable navigation and positioning underpin productive use of submerged vehicles, leading to optimized operations, expanded capabilities, and greater cost-effectiveness. For 25 years, Teledyne RDI Doppler Velocity Logs (DVLs) have been an industry-leading solution for this need. DVLs are sonar systems that accurately measure a vehicle’s speed over ground and altitude above the seabed. The high precision and fast update rates of Teledyne RDI’s data have enhanced subsea operations, from high-resolution spatial surveys to low-altitude stationkeeping. Moreover, Teledyne RDI DVLs have delivered robust navigation over highly demanding terrain, such as rugged hydrothermal vent fields on mid-ocean ridges. Field Trials To operate... (read more)

2019-10-03 11:27:57