Underwater living: Deep dive site to become £100m research hub
DEEP, an ocean technology and exploration company, is investing £100m in the former National Diving and Activity Centre (NDAC) in Tidenham, Gloucestershire.
It says its aim is for a "permanent human presence" under oceans from 2027. The quarry will also be used to test out equipment like submersibles.
DEEP said the Tidenham site, which covers 50 acres, will be a "core part of a regional ecosystem in the South West of England" for development exercises for the company and others.
Steve Etherton, DEEP President, said: "We need to preserve the oceans. To do that we need to understand them.
"Through our innovative technology DEEP will enable scientists to operate at depth for extended periods of time and we hope, in some small way, will contribute to our understanding of this life-giving environment."
The company said it initially wants to develop technology that will allow scientists to live underwater at depths of up to 200m for up to 28 days at a time.
The company says it wants to develop "habitats" which could allow humans to live under the oceans.
The Tidenham location was selected because of the "unique cluster of relevant marine-engineering, diving, hyperbaric and submersible expertise, and links with the wider UK commercial and technical diving industry," it added.
When consulted over the plans, Forest of Dean District Council was told DEEP wanted to employ 100 people.
'Just the beginning'
The site had originally opened as the NDAC in 2003 and offered a range of above-ground activities but was best known for its many underwater attractions, installed at a range of depths down to 76m.
The quarry's maximum depth of 80m made the location popular not only with recreational scuba divers but also with technical, free and military divers.
But the site closed permanently last year, following enforced periods of inactivity during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Developing the site at Tidenham is "just the beginning" the company said.
DEEP believes it will have established a system of "semi-permanent" underwater human habitats by 2027.
Mike Shackleford, President, Global Services of DEEP said: "DEEP's facilities already house our prototyping and pre-production capabilities as well as advanced material testing infrastructure not found elsewhere in the UK, and this is just the beginning."
The company said it hoped the Tidenham campus would be "fully operational" by 2027.
Boxfish Research renames to Boxfish Robotics
Boxfish Research announces the official renaming to Boxfish Robotics. The decision reflects the company's evolving focus and product line, emphasising its commitment to underwater exploration and robotics technology.
As Boxfish product portfolio advanced, with a diverse range of robotics systems, both tethered and untethered, Boxfish recognised the need for a name that better represents its current scope and aspirations. Hence, Boxfish Robotics emerged as the ideal identity to embody its innovation-driven vision.
The original name, Boxfish Research, was rooted in ties to scientific exploration. At that time, Boxfish focused on offering 360 cameras, ROVs and custom solutions, catering to its esteemed clientele in marine research and served its exploration and research endeavors.
Boxfish Robotics' mission remains: to lead the underwater robotics revolution with unparalleled innovation, excellence clarity in underwater imagery, and a commitment to sustainable ocean exploration.
"As Boxfish Robotics, we are delighted to announce the renaming, symbolising a transformative phase in our operations. Boxfish Robotics embodies our passion for innovation and dedication to the future of our oceans.
Through our advanced robotics systems, we aspire to empower researchers, explorers, and industry professionals worldwide, facilitating a deeper understanding and responsible interaction with the underwater world." – Craig Anderson, Co-founder of Boxfish Robotics.
Unique Group unveils revolutionary Aquila Subsea - The subsea industry's first generative AI chat solution
Unique Group, global innovators in subsea technologies and engineering, has announced the launch of a groundbreaking advancement in the subsea survey sector – Aquila Subsea. This state-of-the-art generative AI chat solution is set to revolutionise the industry by providing instant and accurate responses to a wide range of queries, empowering survey engineers and researchers to swiftly understand manuals, troubleshoot issues, and access critical information.
Aquila Subsea marks a monumental leap forward as the first-ever generative AI chat solution tailored specifically for the subsea survey industry. By harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, Unique Group is delivering an unparalleled value addition to survey engineers and researchers, facilitating rapid resolution of technical challenges. With its comprehensive repository of manuals, data sheets, and manufacturers' information, the AI platform guarantees precise and reliable solutions for queries of all complexities, providing access to a Knowledge Repository with over 10,000 Survey Equipment solutions.
"It's with immense pride that we introduce Aquila to the subsea industry," said Sahil Gandhi, CEO of Unique Group. "As relentless innovators, we are committed to pioneering technologies that redefine industry norms. Aquila showcases our dedication to bringing cutting-edge solutions to our customers, enabling them to elevate their operations and make informed decisions swiftly."
Developed entirely in-house by Unique Group's Research and Development Team, Aquila stands as a testament to the organisation's prowess in driving innovation. This AI solution promises to streamline operations, boost efficiency, and enhance overall productivity for survey engineers, researchers, and industry professionals.
One of the standout features of Aquila Subsea is its extensive and meticulously curated database, encompassing a wealth of technical resources. By drawing on this repository, the AI-driven platform provides precise solutions tailored to the specific queries posed by users. The technology ensures that technical hurdles are surmounted in a matter of seconds, reducing downtime and significantly contributing to cost savings, while elevating operational efficiency to unprecedented levels.
To mark this pivotal moment in the subsea survey industry, Unique Group is excited to announce that limited signups to access Aquila Subsea are now open. This exclusive opportunity allows industry professionals to be among the first to experience the transformative potential of this game-changing technology. Click here to register for Aquila Subsea.
As Unique Group continues to lead the charge in technological innovation, Aquila Subsea stands as a testament to their commitment to driving progress within the subsea sector. With its ability to provide swift, accurate, and insightful solutions, Aquila Subsea is poised to reshape the way survey engineers approach their work and ultimately redefine industry standards.
Miros and Belga Marine expand partnerships to boost ocean insights as-a-service solutions in Brazil
Miros and Belga Marine sign partner agreements to strengthen their close long-term collaboration and extend their partnership for local service, sales and distribution of products and as-a-service solutions in Brazil. The agreements also extend the target markets to the whole region of South America.
“For more than eight years, Miros and Belga Marine have successfully worked together providing reliable ocean surface measurements to the Brazilian market.
We are thrilled to continue the partnership with these new agreements offering the software as a service solution to maritime and energy companies in Brazil and South America”, says Alexandre de Carvalho, Sales Director at Belga Marine.
By confirming our close cooperation with Belga Marine, our partners in Brazil, we establish a clear focal point for all Miros related activities in the region.
Being it traditional wave radars, oil spill detection solutions, or cutting edge sea state as a service solutions increasingly applied in Brazilian waters, - all now well served with field services and sales and distribution capabilities”, says Marius Five Aarset, Chief Executive Officer at Miros.
Sea state as a service (SSaaS)
The sea state as a service (SSaaS) offering is an all-inclusive, scalable subscription plan including Miros dry, IoT-enabled sensors, and the Miros Cloud service for easy data access.
This plug-and-play subscription plan is a cost-efficient advantage for clients who can get access to the software without making big investments immediately.
Key players in the Brazilian market have already shown interest in Miros’ SSaaS offerings which strengthen Miros’ position in the Brazilian market and make Brazil an important market for future growth.
MacArtney supplies storage and handling system for 15 km spare cable at Esbjerg Harbour
By the end of 2023, a high voltage direct current electricity link - Viking Link - will be able to facilitate electricity exchange between Great Britain and Denmark. MacArtney Offshore Wind Solutions collaborated with Energinet to develop the long-term onshore cable handling and storage solution for the Danish site.
MacArtney met the requirements set by Energinet and was entrusted with supplying a comprehensive storage system fulfilling all defined specifications, including the crucial necessity of 40 years of operational reliability.
Thus, parallel with the preparations for Viking Link - the world's longest cable connection, spanning 765 km between Great Britain and Denmark - MacArtney has been working on an onshore storage and handling system for the requisite spare cable.
Complete harbour set-up
The whole project involves a long-term maintenance plan with a 15 km spare cable that must always be available for prompt replacement in case of cable damage.
Renowned for its expertise in delivering secure handling solutions for demanding applications throughout the entire project lifecycle, MacArtney fitted a complete electrically driven modular CEMAC solution comprising a cable carousel, cableway, spooling tower, and track tensioner. All combined in one control unit for automated spooling. The set-up is installed in a purpose-built warehouse at Esbjerg Port.
Operational for 40 years
To meet Energinet's requirement for a 40-year operational lifespan, MacArtney has implemented a bi-weekly operation, ensuring regular motion and control of all moving parts. The process has been automated, eliminating the need for operator involvement and simplifying the maintenance procedure.
Essential success factors
Project Manager Michael Fly Poulsen - onboarded in August 2022 - underlines that agility and having all competencies in-house is the key to success in this prestigious project.
"The advantage of having all knowledge resources in-house - from construction and technical capacities to mechanical and electronic engineering - is the key to success for this cooperation. We have team members who understand each step of the process. We are agile and able to work out the optimal solution based on expertise and dialogues on obtaining the best interaction between mechanics and software."
On top of that, MacArtney focused on project management and a continuous joint adaption of expectations, securing close cooperation with Energinet on developing the 100% customised solution.
Viking Link facts
Viking Link will include approximately 765 km of high voltage direct current (DC) cables supporting the promotion of renewable energy utilisation, access to sustainable electricity generation, and enhanced security of electricity supplies.
Danish partner - MacArtney client Energinet - is an independent public enterprise owned by the Danish Ministry of Climate, Energy and Utilities. It holds, operates and develops the transmission systems for electricity and gas in Denmark. The Viking Link project is a joint venture between Danish Energinet and British National Grid.
Successful pilot project verifies the application of autonomous surface and subsea platforms for wind farm operations & maintenance
Teams from wind farm owner Northland Power and marine technology company Subsea Europe Services have successfully concluded a pilot project to apply state-of-the-art Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) to marine survey and underwater inspection operations at the Deutsche Bucht Offshore Wind Farm, located in the German North Sea.
The July 2023 project was commissioned to verify performance and further develop the operational workflows of Subsea Europe Services’ Autonomous Surveyor USV for multibeam surveying and A.IKANBILIS Hovering AUV (HAUV) for subsea inspections such as scour and marine growth surveys, when deployed from a Service Operations Vessel (SOV) mothership already resident for Operations & Maintenance (O&M) at the wind farm.
The so-called ‘mothership concept’ was proven successful throughout the pilot, with seamless integration of the various teams and equipment working aboard the Albert Betz SOV resulting in a wider weather window for marine survey and underwater inspection operations, with launch and recovery up to Sea State 3 and data acquisition according to the specified requirements.
“Supported by the great teamwork of everybody on board, the additional personnel, equipment and workflows for managing and using the USV and AUV for marine surveying and underwater inspections blended in well with the overall operations of the SOV, demonstrating that the ‘mothership concept’ works in a live scenario,” said Jan Schmökel, Balance of Plant Engineer, Northland Power.
“Our goal is to utilise assets that are already in place within the offshore wind farm O&M framework in order to improve the availability of marine data and significantly reduce the cost of acquiring it,” adds Sören Themann, CEO, Subsea Europe Services GmbH. “Both Autonomous Surveyor and A.IKANBILIS performed well, acquiring actionable data within similar time frames as conventional vehicles including crewed survey vessels and work class ROVs, both of which are more costly to manage and operate.”
While Subsea Europe Services continues to fine tune and further automate workflows based on the experiences of the pilot project, both Autonomous Surveyor and A.IKANBILIS are available for offshore wind farm deployment right now. Full commercial readiness of a combined turnkey USV/HAUV solution for major projects and permanent mothership deployment is expected by Q1 2024.
Northland Power is 100% owner of Deutsche Bucht offshore wind farm, which is located 95 km west of Borkum in the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). Deutsche Bucht has an operating capacity of 252 MW, meeting the annual energy needs of 300,000 people and reducing the annual CO2 emissions of Germany by 700,000 tons.
Arctic-bound: Valeport supports The Ocean Warrior project that prepares to expand the frontiers of marine science with its foundation expeditions
A unique voyage to build a greater scientific understanding of the marine environment in the Arctic and the impacts of global climate change will see a team of scientists and ‘citizen scientists’ setting sail from Svalbard at the start of September aboard Europe’s largest wooden schooner.
Ocean Warrior is the brainchild of internationally-renowned explorer, Jim McNeill, who has been running scientific expeditions to the Arctic for over two decades and has acted as a consultant for natural history programmes such as the BBC’s Frozen Planet.
Designed to collect critical scientific measurements from remote areas of the Arctic Ocean in order to build up an improved picture of the changes taking place due to climate change and other factors, Ocean Warrior will also help to ‘ground-truth’ data collected via satellites.
For the first ten-day leg of the expedition (departing Svalbard on September 1st with a subsequent departure on September 11th), the 18-strong team, including crew members, scientists and citizen scientists are tasked with building an understanding of the vessel and her capabilities, in order that the potential for scientific data capture can be maximised. The expedition aims to install and test scientific and technological equipment such as weather stations, FerryBox, CTD, Bathymetry, Communications, and Safety. Additionally, an online dashboard will be created to convey the findings and capture stories through digital and broadcast content capture.
The project is being supported by Plymouth Marine Laboratory (PML), a world leader in the field of marine research, Valeport, (which designs and manufactures oceanographic and hydrographic instrumentation), Mole Energy, Dartmoor Brewery and Henri Lloyd.
Travelling to seldom-visited areas of the Ocean each year between June and October, Ocean Warrior intends to cover 10,000 nautical miles each year, over the next ten years, collecting data on a range of key ‘indicators’ – in areas such as water quality, plankton, eDNA, salinity and ocean acidity.
This will help scientists gain a clearer understanding of the pace of changes taking place, their impacts on marine ecosystems, and what the future may hold for the Arctic region and the wildlife, populations and economies which depend upon it.
"Our quest is to help scientists put a better, more immediate 'finger on the pulse of our planet’ by exploring the extreme environments on Earth in the greatest detail. These are the indicators of change and by measuring, benchmarking and monitoring over a 10-year period we should be able to detect changes, both good and bad. Through the citizen science aspect of the explorations we’re also enabling people from different walks of life to come and be part of something that will generate highly important scientific research." said Jim McNeill. ”I am so honoured and delighted to have Icarus and his team at PML spearheading the science. As one of the centres of excellence, worldwide, I look forward to pushing boundaries together.”
Prof. Icarus Allen, Chief Executive of PML, who will be part of the team for the first leg of the expedition, said:
“We’re delighted to be the scientific partner aboard Ocean Warrior and are extremely excited about the prospect of delivering research with her over a sustained time period. To support a sustainable future for the Ocean we need to be in a position to monitor the changes which are happening. Ocean Warrior will be a valuable addition to this pursuit and I’m looking forward to seeing how we can develop the project over the years ahead.”
Guy Frankland, Head of Marketing at Valeport, said:
“We understand the pressing importance of expeditions such as this, and are proud to be supporting Ocean Warrior with the provision of our leading-edge marine sensing and monitoring equipment. On board the project team will be using our SWiFT CTDplus profiler to gather important data. High quality, precision data is fundamental to the expedition’s success, enabling the team to measure and benchmark environmental change as the project develops.“
OSIL Piston Corers dominate on major global research vessels
Ocean Scientific International Ltd (OSIL) Piston Corers are the preferred piston coring system on board major research vessels across the globe. OSIL produce a range of Giant, Standard and Mini Piston Corer systems, which are now in use on research vessels worldwide that are equipped for the study of global sedimentology. The success of the Giant Piston Corer has also been highlighted by international news agencies following a record-breaking International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) expedition in Japan.
Piston Corers operate in a very similar manner to traditional gravity coring systems, with the exception of the piston itself, which acts as a plug on the coring barrel array once the corer has been fully deployed into the sediment that, together with the core catcher, holds the sample more securely inside the core liner than in a regular gravity corer system and prevents sediment slump. The piston designed by OSIL also reduces internal friction within the core liner and prevents clumping of the sample, ensuring that the OSIL systems deliver a more well-defined sediment sample.
Piston Corers are one of the most important basic tools used in the study of marine sediments, and OSIL offers customisable systems (including Launch and Recovery Systems and Winches) from 2m to 60m in length.
These systems are in use on board research vessels in the USA, Japan, Australia, India, South Korea, Turkey, Norway, China, Brazil, Spain, the Philippines, Nigeria, Singapore, Italy, France and the UK, amongst other countries, and can be included in new vessel build specifications or retrospectively fitted on-board.
OSIL are experts in the manufacture, global supply and operation of sediment corers up to full ocean depth, with particular experience in oil, gas & renewables, marine mining, scientific research and coastal engineering, and a worldwide customer base.
Sercel extends its OBN portfolio to operate in all seabed survey water depths
CGG announces that Sercel now has a complete portfolio of seabed nodal solutions for all water depths down to 6,000 m to meet growing industry demand for ocean bottom node (OBN) seismic surveys. Based on Sercel’s unique QuietSeis® broadband digital sensor technology, the full OBN portfolio includes the GPR300, the GPR700, the GPR3000 and the MicrOBS.
The GPR300 nodal solution was specifically designed for seismic acquisition in shallow water down to 300 meters. Since its launch in 2021, over 50,000 nodes have been successfully deployed in the field and have consistently demonstrated their outstanding efficiency and added value for the clearest subsurface images.
Building on the success of the GPR300, the GPR700 was unveiled yesterday at the IMAGE 2023 convention in Houston. The GPR700 extends OBN survey operations to the limits of the continental shelf at depths of up to 700 meters.
In response to growing requirements for deepwater exploration, Sercel is now also announcing a GPR3000 nodal solution for high-density OBN surveys down to depths of 3,000 meters.
To complete Sercel’s OBN offering, the MicrOBS sparse nodal solution is ideally suited for sparse deepwater OBN operations down to 6,000 meters.
Emmanuelle Dubu, Sercel CEO, said: "We are delighted to now offer a full range of nodal solutions to the seismic industry. The common denominator and key differentiator of this portfolio is QuietSeis, the most accurate seismic sensor in the industry. Its extremely low-noise performance delivers high-fidelity, high-quality broadband datasets for high-precision subsurface imaging. With our comprehensive portfolio of high-tech OBN solutions — all seamlessly integrated into our new MetaBlue marine survey management solution — we are uniquely positioned to support our customers in their offshore exploration and monitoring projects, whatever the depth."
Greensea Systems, Inc. transforms into Greensea IQ: A unified vision for ocean robotics
Ocean robotics pioneer Greensea Systems Inc., is delighted to announce its transformation into Greensea IQ, marking a strategic move that unites its former subsidiaries; Bayonet Ocean Vehicles and Armach Robotics, into a new business entity. This restructuring reinforces Greensea IQ as a leading force in the use of uncrewed and autonomous systems to better help improve human-kind’s interactions with, and understanding of, our oceans.
Greensea IQ CEO, Ben Kinnaman, articulated the driving force behind this transformation, stating, "The three arms of Greensea IQ collectively embody the overarching idea of maximising the capabilities of ocean robotics.
This empowers us to explore deeper into the world's oceans, enhancing both persistence and reach, all while ensuring efficiency, safety, and productivity." This shared ethos forms the cornerstone of Greensea IQ's new identity, and serves as the guiding principle that binds its components together in a collaborative pursuit of oceanic advancement.
Greensea IQ's innovative technologies are poised to revolutionize maritime industries globally. EverClean, for instance, offers autonomous hull cleaning services that enhance ship performance, fuel efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions. With a successful commercialization phase, EverClean has proven the economic viability of its technology, and plans are in place to scale the service to a multitude of ship types in the coming years.
Additionally, Greensea IQ's advancements in the defense and environmental spheres are gaining traction. The EOD Workspace software platform offers autonomous capabilities for mine detection and classification, reducing the risk to personnel in hazardous environments. Furthermore, the company's robotics technologies are finding applications in offshore renewables, performing surveys for pre-construction work and beach landings, where traditional solutions struggle.
The restructure also prepares the company to strategically expand its operations to better serve clients across the globe with likely expansion into Europe, South America, and Southeast Asia, allowing the provision of closer service depots for robot deployments, and more effective customer support.
This reorganisation not only underscores Greensea IQ's commitment to innovation but also highlights its ambition to better align business growth with environmental sustainability.
OPENSEA, Greensea IQ’s hardware-agnostic open framework for the development and deployment of cutting-edge robotics technologies, can be considered the common thread that ties together all of the company’s activities. It encompasses essential interfaces and utilities vital to the robotics and unmanned systems community that Greensea IQ has worked deeply within.
The OPENSEA library's scope is comprehensive. Evolving from this library, the OPENSEA application suite consists of a multitude of distributed independent applications. These applications synergistically function as fundamental building blocks, seamlessly interacting within the OPENSEA network. Their collective capabilities form a scalable, adaptable, and modular system.
Greensea IQ's former strategic investments in established subsea hardware technology providers culminated in the launch of Armach Robotics in 2021, and Bayonet Ocean Vehicles in 2022.
Armach Robotics pioneered EverClean, a proactive and autonomous in-water robotic cleaning solution providing always clean hulls for shipowners. Now operating under Greensea IQ the 'Robot as a Service' product, EverClean ensures the ship is always operating at peak performance by maintaining an always clean hull. Ben Kinnaman equates the EverClean approach to cleaning our teeth: “We don’t wait until we have dental problems before we start daily cleaning. The small platform EverClean robots allow an approach of regular preventative hull cleaning”. Thanks to OPENSEA, the EverClean robot has many tools at its disposal to plot the most efficient route thus avoiding over working and preserving coatings, plus after each cleaning operation, an accurate georeferenced hull condition survey is provided.
The Bayonet series of Autonomous Underwater Ground Vehicles, or AUGVs, also leverage the power of OPENSEA to navigate, identify objects, and process data most efficiently, and add another unique platform to Greensea IQ’s range of products going forward. The Bayonet AUGVs are engineered to excel in the surf zone. They offer the flexibility to incorporate diverse environmental, oceanographic, hydrographic, benthic, and industry-specific sensors. This adaptability caters to a myriad of commercial and military applications in the surf zone and beyond.
To introduce this transformative shift to the public, Greensea IQ will unveil its new identity and showcase the combined capabilities at the upcoming Defence & Security Equipment International (DSEI) show in London, UK. The event, scheduled from 12-15 September will serve as a platform to highlight Greensea IQ's vision and the groundbreaking products it offers.