New Ball Joint Monitoring System

Nautronix delivered the first of a new system to its customer GlobalSantaFe for its vessel, Glomar Arctic III. The new Ball Joint Monitoring system integrates data from the Nautronix USBL positioning systems, in this case a RS914, and vessel data to provide a complete monitoring system. The system meets requirements put on GlobalSantaFe by their customer to provide continuous monitoring, logging and alarm capabilities for the lower ball joint, and related vessel data. The system also reads vessel pitch, roll and heave information, all of which is displayed and logged. The system also provides full monitoring capability and to view... (read more)

2004-03-25 12:00:00

Real-time Marine Monitoring Systems

Forecasting ocean and regional sea-state

The seas are being monitored, from satellite observations of the ocean surface to the growing number of in-situ measurement networks. The amount of information being generated is huge and should ideally provide a consistent 3D picture of ocean-state, including temperature fields and current structures. Indeed, this is the expectation of a wide range of organisations and individuals engaged in coastal and offshore activities, who would prefer such forecasts to be in the shape of a synoptic overview of present conditions augmented by prediction of two or three weeks. In order to merge all past information and produce a forecast, models... (read more)

2008-01-01 01:00:00

Coastal Monitoring of Water Quality

Autonomous Surveying of Shallow Coastal Waters for Clean Seas and Shorelines

The wave-propelled AutoNaut unmanned surface vessel (USV) completed a short trial off the south-west coast of England to monitor the water quality by a sewage outfall. AutoNaut demonstrated its ability to reliably operate in shallow waters whilst also recording and transmitting data. A suite of sensors aboard the USV worked in conjunction with satellite data from synthetic aperture radar (SAR). Analysis indicated that the seawater close to the outflow was not negatively affected. The combination of technologies is pioneering for the application and the trial highlights the potential of this innovative approach to conduct long-term marine monitoring – including the... (read more)

2017-08-02 11:23:28

Partnership for Hydrocarbon Monitoring Sensors

Chelsea is to begin working with Liquid Robotics as its technology partner for hydrocarbon sensors. The company has already been working with Liquid Robotics for two years, providing a number of UV AquaTracka Hydrocarbon Sensors for integration into its Wave Gliders. The UV AquaTracka has long been the industry standard for hydrocarbon detection, a reputation proven during the Macondo Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Originally developed for military applications, the UV AquaTracka remains unique in its ability to detect very low levels of crude and refined oils in the marine and freshwater environment. The UV AquaTracka is so... (read more)

2013-04-05 12:00:00

Marine Noise Monitoring Survey Completed

Without mitigation, the installation of driven piles in the marine environment, along quaysides for instance or during installation of offshore foundations, is likely to produce noise levels capable of causing injury and disturbance to marine animals. The UK-based firm Partrac was contracted recently by TSL Contractors to provide marine monitoring services which included acoustic (marine noise) data acquisition prior to, and during, piling works for the construction of Fishnish Pier, Sound of Mull, Scotland. Such effects, although incidental to consented activities, have the potential to conflict with a range of legislative provisions. Although guidance is available to developers on how... (read more)

2013-08-16 12:00:00

Autonomous Seabed Monitoring System Deployed

A long-life acoustic monitoring system developed by Sonardyne International Ltd, UK, to detect minute changes in the seafloor due to settlement has been successfully deployed in Southeast Asia for Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP). Installed in 45 metres of water, the network of Autonomous Monitoring Transponders (AMTs) that make up the system were supplied with compact subsea instrument housings and anti-trawl seabed frames that have been custom-designed by Sonardyne to provide protection from commercial fishing activities in the area. Structure, pipeline and seabed settlement monitoring is regularly undertaken in life of field surveys. The challenge for operators is to acquire the... (read more)

2013-12-04 10:29:55

Radar-based Nearshore Hydrographic Monitoring

Filling in The White Ribbon

Shore-based marine radar techniques have recently proved to be an excellent tool for monitoring erosion and accretion in the dynamic nearshore area through repeated and automated large-area surveys. The ability to routinely survey intertidal areas has always been logistically challenging and expensive due to the limitations imposed by the tides, weather and access. Advances in remote sensing techniques and the development of new data-processing algorithms have made the surveying of these areas much more cost-effective. There is a global need for greater awareness of the sedimentary dynamics of intertidal regions. These seldom surveyed areas are host to a variety of... (read more)

2017-03-08 01:00:22

CMS-Geotech Launches Monitoring System

CMS-Geotech, UK, has developed a monitoring system, the vibrocore acquisition monitoring platform (VAMP), to maximise the reliability and robustness of the sampling procedure whilst improving core sample integrity and efficiency. VAMP has been put through a series of rigorous field tests at over 75 locations around the UK in variety of offshore environments by CMS-Geotech engineers over the last 12 months with proven results. It is now used daily in all vibrocoring operations carried out by CMS-Geotech using its own in-house built High Powered Heavy Duty vibrocorers. Vibrocoring is an established fundamental phase of marine seabed investigations but it’s importance is often... (read more)

2016-06-27 01:26:32

Wreck Monitoring in Dredging Operations

Multiple survey and positioning techniques for MV <i>Assi Eurolink</i>

The problems posed by the wrecked vessel Assi Eurolink called for unique solutions that have set a new benchmark in the way that similar wrecks are made safe. On 25th January 2003 a collision occurred between the Swedish vessel Seawheel Rhine and a Dutch freighter, the Assi Eurolink. The collision was within the shipping lane ‘Friesland Junction’, about 77 kilometres (48 miles) off the coast of the Dutch island of Terschelling. The Swedish ship Seawheel Rhine sustained visual damage to her bow above water line, but the ship was able to continue to Hamburg. However, the Assi Eurolink sank almost... (read more)

2008-01-01 01:00:00

Satellite-based Water Quality Monitoring

EOMAP, Germany, has launched a high-resolution monitoring service for inland and coastal waters, with water quality information directly accessible online through the eoApp web application. Monitoring water quality for inland and coastal waters is a requirement for many government and private sector entities, which includes identifying long-term trends and understanding emerging problems over large areas that contain numerous water bodies – all to be done in near real time. The service is supported by data from a fleet of satellite sensors and uses proprietary physics-based processing technologies. The base product suite includes water quality parameters such as turbidity, chlorophyll concentrations... (read more)

2015-06-04 09:30:00