3D at Depth Launches Worldwide Offshore Geophysical Survey Services Business

3D at Depth, a leading expert in Subsea Lidar (SL) laser technology, and leading provider of underwater survey services and 3D data solutions, has announced the launch of its offshore Geophysical Survey Services division. The new division will provide optimized surveys to support both nearshore, inshore, and offshore deepwater development activities focused in the areas of offshore wind farms, pipeline routes, environmental site surveys, offshore hydrocarbon projects, and civil engineering surveys. 3D at Depth first commercialized Subsea Lidar (SL) technology for the offshore industry in 2014. The Company focus has always been on 3D data excellence through innovative technology solutions... (read more)

2021-02-25 10:26:27

Fugro Launches Working Group for Remote and Autonomous Training Standards

In partnership with SeaBot XR, a leading agency for next-generation learning products and services, and the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency, Fugro has launched MASSPeople, the Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS) International Training Standards Working Group. The group consists of representatives from European and international maritime authorities who will collaborate to develop world-class training and competency standards for remote and autonomous vessels. The introduction of remote and autonomous technology has brought new ways of working to the maritime sector, and the aim of MASSPeople is to explore the human dimension of remote and autonomously enabled marine surface vessels. Fugro and SeaBot... (read more)

2021-02-22 08:40:04

Woolpert Selected to Collect Topo-bathy Lidar for Remote Hawaiian Islands

Woolpert has been awarded a task order under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Shoreline Mapping Services Contract to provide topographic and bathymetric Lidar data and imagery for islands in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands chain, mostly within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. This contract is administered by NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey Remote Sensing Division and will support several mission areas within NOAA. Under this task order, Woolpert will deploy its King Air 300 Turboprop aircraft with Leica Chiroptera 4X and Leica HawkEye 4X Lidar sensors out of Kaua’i to collect Quality Level 1 topographic and QL2b bathymetric Lidar data. The... (read more)

2021-02-18 02:54:31

New Editions of Navigational Charts for Auckland Harbour Released

New editions of two navigational charts for Auckland Harbour have recently been released, providing enhanced safety as Auckland mariners take to the water in significant numbers over the summer sailing season. The new charts are the result of a collaboration by Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) and Ports of Auckland in which LINZ updated the charts with data collected by Ports of Auckland. National Hydrographer Adam Greenland says LINZ, as the New Zealand Hydrographic Authority, is responsible for producing nautical information for safety of navigation including hydrographic surveying and charts. “We’re pleased that Ports of Auckland has supplied us with... (read more)

2021-02-12 02:02:20

The Titanic Disaster and Its Aftermath

Understanding the Unthinkable

In the night of 14 April 1912, the unthinkable happened. The mightiest ship afloat, the brand new White Star Line ship Titanic, was on its maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York. The ship was advertised as unsinkable. And, if unsinkable, why should there be adequate lifeboats for all of the passengers and crew? The ship departed from Southampton on 10 April. Less than five days later, it was at the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. More than 1,500 people perished within three hours of striking an iceberg, which ripped the bottom out of the ship. How this happened... (read more)

2012-04-19 05:02:26

Uncovering the Secrets of Manta Ray Behaviour with a Mini ADCP

Understanding why marine animals are using some places and not others is crucial to minimizing our impact on them. Recently, the new Eco ADCP has been helping one marine biologist, with no previous experience in using oceanographic instruments, characterize current flows in one of the manta ray’s more unusual shallow-water coastal habitats. Powerful yet graceful, manta rays top almost everyone’s list of must-see marine animals. While people flock to places like Indonesia or the Maldives to watch these gentle giants, one location has gone relatively unnoticed – South Florida. “I lived in Florida working as a sea turtle biologist, and... (read more)

2021-02-12 10:24:36

Sonardyne’s SPRINT-Nav Reaches New Heights of Capability

Marine technology specialist Sonardyne has released a new high altitude variant of its hybrid navigator SPRINT-Nav to allow uncrewed surface vessels (USVs) and underwater vehicles (UUVs) to extend their operational envelope. SPRINT-Nav tightly integrates a Sonardyne SPRINT INS, Syrinx DVL and a highly accurate pressure sensor into a single high-performance solution providing navigation and optional acoustic Doppler current profile (ADCP) functionality. Sonardyne’s new variant takes this capability to an even higher level: increasing the altitude at which vehicle platforms can work when they don’t have an external position reference, without compromising accuracy. Highly Dynamic Environments Operating at 400kHz, the... (read more)

2021-02-12 11:17:07

Unleashing the Full Potential of Hydrographic Data

5 Questions to….Birte Noer Borrevik, Director Hydrographic Services at the Norwegian Mapping Authority

Hydro International spoke to five leading experts about the present and future of the hydrographic industry. In this interview, Birte Noer Borrevik (Kartverket: the Norwegian Mapping Authority) talks about big data, artificial intelligence and machine learning, and the importance of learning from other industries with experience in large data volumes. 2020 has been an extraordinary year. What are the impacts of Covid-19 on the hydrographic industry, and what other factors have influenced the business? Like everyone else, we have been impacted by the restrictions imposed on us. In the first few weeks of March and April, the crew on our... (read more)

2021-02-09 08:41:29

Kongsberg Maritime to Launch Next Generation HUGIN Endurance AUV

Kongsberg Maritime has announced the next generation of its advanced HUGIN Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV). Named HUGIN Endurance, the new AUV boosts operational duration to approximately 15 days, enabling extended survey and inspection missions far from shore. This longevity allows HUGIN Endurance to undertake extensive missions without the support of a mother ship. Shore-to-shore operations offer the opportunity to reduce the carbon footprint for commercial activities and yet retain unrivalled data resolution and accuracy. With this in mind, Kongsberg has added its Maritime Broadband Radio (MBR) communications system to HUGIN Endurance’s payload, allowing it to surface and share large quantities... (read more)

2021-02-05 12:03:22

Geollect Wins Maritime Insurance Innovation Challenge

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) has announced leading geospatial intelligence technology provider Geollect as the winner of the second ADMIRALTY Marine Innovation Programme challenge. Launched last year in collaboration with RE_SET, the Marine Innovation Programme aims to help start-ups and innovators develop new solutions that support safe, secure and thriving oceans. The programme’s second innovation challenge focused on ‘Transforming Maritime Risk & Insurance’, with entrants tasked with identifying, trialling and proving how marine geospatial data can be used to enhance maritime insurance products. Bathymetry, Maritime Limits and AIS Heatmaps For this challenge, Geollect demonstrated how marine datasets such as bathymetry, maritime... (read more)

2021-02-02 09:22:27