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03 Aug 2023

Fincantieri, CABI ink pact on Subsea Warfare Vehicles

Fincantieri and C.A.B.I. Cattaneo (CABI), a company in the design, development and supply of underwater vehicles for the Special Forces of the Navy, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the evaluation of commercial and industrial cooperation in the field of underwater vehicles and related integration with larger units.The agreement was signed in the presence of Admiral Enrico Credendino, Chief of Staff of the Navy, by Pierroberto Folgiero and Alberto Villa, respectively Chief Executive Officer of Fincantieri and CABI.The MoU will make it possible to integrate underwater vehicles on Fincantieri's surface and underwater units.

01 Mar 2023

Discovery: Historic Shipwreck Found in Lake Huron

Image of the schooner-barge Ironton as it sits on the lake floor today. This image is a point cloud extracted from water column returns from multibeam sonar. Image Credit: Ocean Exploration Trust/NOAA Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary

Researchers from NOAA, the state of Michigan, and Ocean Exploration Trust discovered an intact shipwreck resting hundreds of feet below the surface of Lake Huron. Located within NOAA's Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, the shipwreck has been identified as the sailing ship Ironton. Well preserved by the cold freshwater of the Great Lakes for over a century, the 191-ft. Ironton rests upright with its three masts still standing."Using this cutting-edge technology, we have not only located a pristine shipwreck lost for over a century…

23 Dec 2022

Polar POD Project Enters Shipyard Construction Phase in France

Illustration Polar POD © N. Gagnon

Ifremer, Jean-Louis Etienne and the entire Polar POD team announced its construction by the Piriou shipyards in association with 3C Metal, under the direction of the project owner, Ifremer. The scientific program of this international oceanographic "station" is being overseen by the French National Centre for Scientific Research (Centre national de la recherche scientifique, CNRS), in partnership with the French National Centre for Space Studies (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales…

14 Jan 2022

Prysmian Group Wins MidEast Submarine Cable Contract

Prysmian Group entered into a Limited Notice to Proceed (LNTP) for the supply of power cables in the context of a landmark  HVDC submarine cable project in the Middle East, worth around $252m. The LNTP was awarded to Prysmian by Samsung C&T as part of its EPC consortium with Jan De Nul Group. The new link, part of the strategic HVDC transmission system for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) Abu Dhabi National Energy Company PJSC (TAQA) Lightning Project, will allow bulk-power energy transmission between the converter station in Al Mirfa…

01 Nov 2021

Subsea Munitions Response: Government Funding Available for Environmental R&D

© John/AdobeStock

The Department of Defense’s (DoD) Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) is seeking to fund environmental research and development in the Munitions Response program area. SERDP invests across the broad spectrum of basic and applied research, as well as advanced technology development. The development and application of innovative environmental technologies will reduce the costs, environmental risks, and time required to resolve environmental problems while…

03 Aug 2021

Subsea Mining: All Eyes on Marine Minerals Offshore Norway

In July, Allseas’ ‘Hidden Gem’ heads to Tenerife for drydock modifications ahead of a collector “wet-test” in the Atlantic at the end of 2021 and the official start of pilot mining tests in the Pacific, 1200 nautical miles west of Mexico, in 2022. Photo from Allseas.

Marine minerals are coming under sharp focus offshore Norway. Analysts suggest it could be a $20 billion annual revenue industry by 2050, which is why many are taking an interest and developing the technology to make it happen. Marine mineral mining has been something of a slow burner in the wider marine world. It has some clear challenges, not least location and depth of these potential resources, but also concerns around its environmental impact.Yet it now appears to be coming into a distinctly sharp focus…

03 May 2021

Subsea Discovery: SOI Releases Images from Study of NW Australian Deep Corals

All images courtesy Schmidt Ocean Institute

Scientists circumnavigate and map the seafloor of the entire mesophotic (deep water) zone in Ashmore Reef Marine Park.Scientists discovered a sea snake thought to be locally extinct and saw several species such as the great spotted cowrie (Perissersoa guttata) for the first time in the Ashmore Reef Marine Park, off Australia, during Schmidt Ocean Institute's 18-day expedition that concluded this week.A team of scientists, led by Dr. Karen Miller of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS)…

27 Mar 2021

TECH FILE: Acoustic Tech Used to Understand Climate Change in the Arctic

The R/V Sikuliaq during a cruise to research sea ice in the Beaufort Sea. Photo ©: Onpoint Outreach

Major changes are occurring in the ocean. Climate change and subsequent melting sea ice are not necessarily good changes. Why are acoustic Doppler current profilers an invaluable tool to get a complete picture of the Arctic’s changing wave conditions in the context of climate change?In the Arctic, the end-of-summer sea ice extent in 2020 was the second-lowest in the last 42 years.“The ice used to melt out in June or July. Now it melts out in May. It used to come back in September or October.

24 Nov 2020

Interview: Rear Admiral John Okon, Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, US Navy

“The ocean is critical to National and Global Security. Back in the early 90’s the ocean wasn’t contested, the U.S. was the most powerful Navy and we had freedom of movement, anytime, anywhere,” said RDML Okon. “Now, while we are still the most powerful Navy in the world, near peer competitors are racing to close that gap." Photo: U.S. Navy

Insights on technology advances with Rear Admiral John Okon, Commander, Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command.Rear Admiral Okon never started out to have a career in Oceanography, rather in Broadcast Meteorology. “At NY Maritime College, I studied both Meteorology and Oceanography and became equally passionate about Oceanography. Thanks to the U.S. Navy, we have a career field in both.”By its very nature, the U.S. Navy operates in one of the most discussed and disected environments on earth, the oceans.“The ocean is critical to National and Global Security.

11 Nov 2020

Autonomous Offshore Power Trials Get Underway off Hawaii

Image Courtesy Columbia Power Technologies

With the advent of autonomy on and under the water, part of the value proposition is the ability to stay at sea, on station, to exponentially increase efficiencies. Have the ability to repower at sea is central to this effort, as an increasing number of companies work to solve the inherent technical and logistic problems.Columbia Power Technologies (C-Power) is commencing a six-month sea trial to test and validate its SeaRAY autonomous offshore power system (AOPS), in partnership with a pair of powerhouses: the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. NavyInitially conceived during a U.S.

15 Sep 2020

Charting Terradepth's Big Ambitions in the Unmanned Vehicle Space

The Terradepth leapfrog concept. Graphic from Terradepth.

Ocean mapping at scale is the target of a new unmanned systems player started by two ex-US Navy SEALS. They have big ambitions, from new building unmanned vehicles to creating the intelligence that will drive them to changing how accessible ocean data is. Elaine Maslin learned more. The pace of change in the ocean mapping space has been fast in recent years. New entrants have come into the scene offering “force multiplier” mapping using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) and unmanned surface vessels (USVs).

26 May 2020

Tech Talk: Wallenius Wilhelmsen Puts Hull Grooming to the Test

Photo credit Wallenius Wilhelmsen

Even as shipowners enjoy record low bunker fuel pricing, the search for hull cleaning and fuel-saving optimization continues. Jotun, which recently launched 'hull skater' hull grooming, found a willing partner in Wallenius Wilhelmsen -- an operator of a fleet of 126 RoRo vessels, 11 marine terminals and 71 processing centers globally -- to put the hull skater to the test.For the past decade, Wallenius Wilhelmsen has produced an annual Sustainability Report, describing initiatives undertaken to reduce the company’s emissions and safeguard life below the water line, among other target areas.

05 May 2020

EvoLogics Modems Authorized for US Navy Use

U.S. NAVY PHOTO BY LEIGHAHN FERRARI, CHIEF MATE, U.S. NAVAL SHIP SALVOR

ANU listing granted after favorable USBL accuracy testsEvoLogics underwater acoustic modems were recently listed as Authorized for Navy Use (ANU), following a lengthy period of testing and technical evaluation by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and The Emergency Ship Salvage Material (ESSM) System. The ANU Program provides a list of selected diving equipment, tools and accessories which have undergone design safety reviews, testing and evaluation to ensure diver safety and…

16 Apr 2020

FarSounder Enters Brazilian Market

Photo: FarSounder

FarSounder announced Ulstein Belga Marine headquartered in Centro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil is its newest dealer and their first in Brazil. Ulstein Belga Marine will integrate FarSounder’s Argos series of 3D forward-looking sonars into its product offering.“Our strategy has been moving towards digitalization and sensor related solutions for communication, navigation, sea-state monitoring and optimization of performance,” said Jan Lomholdt, Managing Director of Ulstein Belga Marine.The Argos system’s technology provides vessels with real-time 3D imagery of the waters ahead…

15 Apr 2020

Kongsberg to Supply ASW Sonars for Finish Navy Corvettes

Photo: Kongsberg

Kongsberg Maritime AS, Sensor & Robotics has signed a contract with Saab that will see Kongserg delivering its Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and diver detection sonars for the Pohjanmaa-class corvettes currently being developed by the Finnish Navy under its Squadron 2020 project.Under the terms of the contract, which equates to approximately NOK 100 million, Kongsberg will equip the vessels with its SS2030 and SD9500 sonars, both of which boast acoustic properties which make them ideally suited for deployment in shallow-water environments.The SS2030…

16 Jan 2020

Subsea Robots in the Splash Zone

New model tool: the iCon inspection robot searches for cracks. CREDIT: OceanTech

From their base deep within a former World War II U-boat pen, Norwegian outfit, OceanTech, is developing a set of robot tools that cling to offshore structures in order to effect inspection, maintenance and repair, or IMR. Old submarine anchorages are now subsea testing and training sites, but the North Sea is still the target. Hundreds of aging platforms and subsea structures require IMR that’s too costly, complex or hazardous for divers or remotely operated vehicles, or ROVs.As he walks us through Dora II…

20 Nov 2019

Robotic Hull Cleaning Advances in Dutch Ports

Recent acceptance to operate in Rotterdam and proof of sustainability claims after more than 500 hull cleaning operations help propel ECOsubsea, the robotic hull cleaning system. Photo: Ecosubsea

Recent acceptance to operate in Rotterdam and proof of sustainability claims after more than 500 hull cleaning operations help propel ECOsubsea, the robotic hull cleaning system.The Dutch national regulatory body Rijkswaterstaat gave the Norwegian company the green light to start offering hull cleaning services to vessels at all Dutch Ports including Europe’s biggest port, the Port of Rotterdam, a move that is helping the firm solidify its position in Europe following similar permissions in Antwerp…

07 Aug 2019

Chelsea Technologies Appoints Paull as MD

Elizabeth Paull  (Photo: Chelsea Technologies)

Chelsea Technologies, a leader in the design and manufacture of sensors for the maritime sector and a Sonardyne company, has announced the appointment of Elizabeth Paull as its new managing director. Paull, who joins the company from leading subsea technology developer Sonardyne International, has been appointed to further develop Chelsea Technologies as a market leader in environmental sensing technology across a variety of industry sectors, and particularly in maritime where…

02 Aug 2019

DEME Installs MOG Export Cable

Offshore services provider DEME has completed the installation of a subsea export cable for Belgian grid operator Elia's Modular Offshore Grid (MOG) ahead of schedule.The installation of 85 km of subsea export cable was done using its cable installation vessel 'Living Stone', said the dredging and marine engineering specialist. The cable connects Elia’s Offshore Switch Yard to the shore station Stevin at Zeebrugge, as well as the Rentel wind farm Offshore Substation.‘Living Stone’ collected the cable at the manufacturer Hellenic Cable in Greece , transported it to the site in Belgium and performed a flawless cable installation, offshore jointing and four pull-ins.

01 Aug 2019

ION, iSEISMIC Join on Seabed Tech

ION Geophysical and iSEISMIC have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on seabed acquisition technologies.iSEISMIC, an ocean bottom seismic (OBS) acquisition specialist,  plans to utilize the full suite of ION’s next generation 4Sea ocean bottom acquisition and imaging technology to deliver a step-change in the safety, efficiency, quality and turnaround time of seabed surveys. According to a press statement from ION, the provider of acquisition equipment, software, planning and seismic processing services, and seismic data libraries to the global oil & gas industry: "This agreement will enable ION to commercialize its…

09 Sep 2019

NAVTOR, ScanReach Collaborate to Monitor Fleet Ops

Photo: Navtor

NAVTOR and ScanReach signed an agreement that that is intended to supply shipowners with a connected, comprehensive and real-time view of vessel and fleet operations.The collaboration will connect an onboard wireless IoT platform to a secure channel for sharing data between ship and shore, with the goal to deliver a seamless stream of information running from onboard sensors to land-based facilities, and back, enabling optimal decision-making, 24/7.“Both ScanReach and NAVTOR share the vision of utilizing technology to enable smarter shipping…

25 Aug 2019

ROVOP Joins ORCA Hub

ROVOP, the global subsea robotics specialist, is the latest company to join the ORCA (Offshore Robotics for Certification of Assets) Hub offshore robotics, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems development program. The ORCA Hub is a consortium of five universities – Heriot-Watt University, University of Edinburgh, University of Liverpool, University of Oxford and Imperial College London – that are working together to develop highly specialized robotics and AI technologies for the inspection, repair, maintenance and certification of offshore energy platforms and assets.The partnership will see ROVOP support the research the ORCA Hub is carrying out in the subsea domain.

22 Aug 2019

MTR100: Five "Ones to Watch"

Saipem’s Hydrone R – in the flesh and ready for real world testing. Image from Saipem.

For Marine Technology Reporter's (MTR) 14th Annual "MTR100" - a look at 100 innovators and technologies in the subsea space - MTR editor-at-large Elaine Maslin reports on five companies and technologies that are worth the watch for the remainder of 2019 and beyond. For the full edition, see https://magazines.marinelink.com/nwm/MarineTechnology/201907/Blue Logic: Entering a new eraCompletely new modes of operation are entering the underwater domain for oil and gas operations and…