Preserving our ocean’s ecosystems: New IMCA Guidance supports industry to take action
Invasive species are organisms that spread to areas outside their native range posing a threat to native flora and fauna and are seen as a major cause behind the global decline in biodiversity.
Marine invasive species can negatively impact ecosystems in several ways, they can: Eat or parasitise often defenceless native species which in some cases, can lead to their extinction; Outcompete native species for food, light, or spawning sites and, if left unchecked, can dominate habitats and smother native species; Bring new diseases; and cause negative economic impacts.
The transfer of marine invasive species through the movement of vessels from one region to another has long been recognised as a significant environmental risk, with the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) first guidance on the issue published in 2004.
More recently, the UN Biodiversity Conference to support the Implementation of Sustainable Goal 14 has emphasised the urgent need for enhanced protection and conservation of marine ecosystems, and the topic of ballast water management, has formed part of the 80th session of the IMO’s Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) last summer.
To support Members to take proactive measures to mitigate the harm caused by invasive species on marine environments, IMCA has produced new Guidance, Mitigation of Marine Invasive Species: Biofouling and Ballast Water (IMCA ES002), which aims to provide guidance to minimise transmission, and highlights best-practices to follow through detailed case studies from DeepOcean, Fugro, TechnipFMC, and SBM Offshore.
Representatives of these companies, along with Global Maritime, made up the Life Below Water workgroup which helped IMCA to draft the document.
Commenting on the publication of the new IMCA Guidance, Mary Ntamark, Technical Adviser – Environmental Sustainability, said: “Through the vessels they own and work with, IMCA Members are in a unique position to positively address challenges to oceanic biodiversity from invasive species and minimise the impact of biofouling and poor ballast water management.”
“I’d like to thank the Life Below Water workgroup for their input into the document, and for their support throughout the drafting process. The end-result is Guidance which not only outlines practical and tangible steps, but one which will enable the creation of company-wide strategic approaches.”
“The challenges to global biodiversity in our seas are both urgent and significant, and our Guidance will help Members to play their part and mitigate their environmental impact.”
HydroWing opens new base in Wales to deliver its groundbreaking tidal energy project
HydroWing has kicked off the New Year by opening a new office in Wales, to support the development of its innovative tidal stream energy project at Morlais on Anglesey.
The company has been awarded a contract through the latest round of the UK Government’s ‘Contracts for Difference’ allocation for a 10 MW tidal stream energy project at Morlais, the UK’s largest consented tidal energy scheme.
Richard Parkinson, CEO of Inyanga Marine Energy Group, the parent company of HydroWing, says: “Our vision is to become the world leader in tidal array technology. Our project at Morlais will be a key step on this journey and opening the new office in Wales is an important milestone for us.”
The new office is based at M-SParc, a science park on Anglesey, owned by Bangor University. The office will be led by Commercial Manager Osian Roberts, who was born and raised on Anglesey and has considerable international experience in the offshore renewable energy sector. He will lead a team to be based at M-SParc, creating significant new employment in the region.
Richard Parkinson adds: “Commercialisation of tidal stream energy has so far been held back by high operations and maintenance costs. Our HydroWing technology meets that challenge head on. It will help unlock the commercial viability of tidal stream energy around the world, offering a low cost, reliable source of renewable energy for generations to come.”
HydroWing technology is based on a unique patented modular design that dramatically improves the cost-efficiency and production of tidal stream energy.
Simon Cheeseman, Sector Lead on Wave and Tidal Energy at the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult, says: “Tidal energy is a crucial part of the mix to achieve net zero targets globally. The team at Inyanga Marine Energy Group has unrivalled experience in the sector, having deployed more than half of all tidal stream energy devices worldwide. So it is great to see their immense knowledge and experience informing the design and deployment strategy for HydroWing, a technology that is helping deliver sector innovation.”
The HydroWing project at Morlais will be deployed in 2027.
Forcys strengthens team to empower your underwater dominance
Forcys is excited to announce further expansion across its global operations, adding to its team of experts dedicated to equipping navies with the most advanced underwater solutions, and establishing a US entity. Forcys is committed to working alongside you and your supply chain to elevate your lethality and situational awareness in the critical undersea domain.
Counting on a legacy built over five decades, Forcys’ technology offer is trusted by navies worldwide. It provides a unique range of remote, autonomous, and networked control capabilities that deliver integrated underwater intelligence for every mission.
In a significant move, Dan Zatezalo joins Forcys as General Manager for Forcys Inc. and Head of Global Sales. Dan was responsible for US DoD sales at sister company Sonardyne Inc. delivering continued growth. At Forcys he will look to instil the same customer led culture. "I'm excited to take on the new role. I cherish the responsibility that comes from supporting our customers at a time when new technology challenges the way we have been acting".
Covering a range of maritime operations including asset protection, littoral strike, mine warfare, submarine rescue, and submarine and anti-submarine warfare, Forcys seeks to transform the underwater domain by enabling increasingly distributed and automated operations. This is made possible by integrating and bringing to market world-changing solutions from leading technology partners Chelsea Technologies, EIVA, Sonardyne, Voyis, and Wavefront Systems.
Ioseba Tena, Commercial Director, "Since we launched Forcys eighteen months ago, the underwater domain has continued to receive unprecedented levels of interest. It's no longer a question of when autonomous systems will become a factor. It's now a question of what we do to counter them. It's time for original responses to novel threats. Time to create our own fleets of systems and counter measures. At Forcys we are ready to spearhead the delivery of situational awareness sensors and software to support this transition. It’s an exciting time for our team and we are looking forward to supporting our global customer base.”
GEOxyz expands with 2 new offices in Southern Europe
GEOxyz, a leading provider of offshore survey solutions, is excited to announce the opening of its brand-new offices in the Mediterranean region and the Canary Islands.
The strategically chosen locations in Alicante, nestled in the heart of the Mediterranean, and Las Palmas, the Canary Islands, positions GEOxyz to actively engage with the challenges and opportunities that arise in these regions. This localised approach is integral to GEOxyz's commitment to delivering high-quality survey solutions that meet the unique needs of each market.
By opening offices in Southern Europe, GEOxyz aims to gain a deeper understanding of the distinct dynamics at play in these areas, as well as contribute to the development of sustainable solutions tailored to these markets' specific needs.
The new offices in Alicante and Las Palmas will be led by Area Manager, Roger Mir. "We are excited about the tremendous potential the Mediterranean and the Canary Islands hold for GEOxyz. Our new offices allow us to engage with local stakeholders more effectively, and we look forward to contributing our expertise to the regions’ development," says Roger.
Polish Navy adds new T20-S module to GAVIA AUV
Teledyne Gavia is pleased to announce that the Polish Ministry of Defence (MOD) is bolstering its underwater survey capabilities by procuring the Teledyne RESON SeaBat T20-S Module for the group's GAVIA Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs). These AUVs have been successfully employed by the Polish MOD for mine countermeasures (MCM) since 2014 and currently comprise a fleet of four (4) GAVIA AUVs, each equipped with extensive capabilities.
The SeaBat T20-S Multibeam Echo Sounder (MBES), operating at 400kHz, delivers high-resolution bathymetric data with remarkable positional accuracy, aligning with the IHO standards for hydrographic survey. The T20-S Module empowers the automated detection of pipelines, enabling tracking and inspection by the AUV. This capability will be instrumental in the Polish Navy's critical underwater infrastructure inspections, a crucial aspect of modern seabed warfare. Moreover, the T20-S Module offers valuable backscatter data for mine classification. It comes with the latest Teledyne PDS Cube software to streamline operations, facilitating raw data visualization, post-processing, mosaicking, and export directly into the onboard Command-and-Control system of the Kormoran Class MCMVs.
Since GAVIA AUVs have a modular design, these vehicles do not need to return to Teledyne Gavia for the T20 upgrades. Instead, the Polish MOD will receive new modules that can be user installed into their existing AUVs in Poland. The adaptability of GAVIA AUVs has made them a trusted choice for EOD/MCM operations.
With the addition of the Teledyne RESON SeaBat T20-S MBES Module, the GAVIA AUVs will excel at gathering extremely high-resolution bathymetric data, even during extended submerged missions at survey speeds ranging from two to five knots. Their sensor suite, including imaging sensors like EdgeTech 2205 side scan sonars with Teledyne BlueView MB2250 Microbathymetry Gapfilling Modules, ensures these AUVs are perfectly suited for mine countermeasures (MCM), bathymetric survey, and search and rescue (SAR) operations in continental-shelf waters and beyond.
GAVIA AUVs in Poland are provided through Enamor Ltd (Gdynia, Poland), Teledyne Gavia's official representative, for ongoing support and supply. Enamor is a leading research and production company deeply involved in technology projects in Poland, including navigation, communication, hydrography, and automation. Enamor has recently been appointed as a regional Service Center for AUVs in Europe following the training of their engineers and technicians at Teledyne Gavia.
The expansion of GAVIA AUV capabilities in Poland underscores the Polish MOD's confidence in their performance for MCM and beyond. These AUVs have demonstrated their value in EOD/MCM, SAR, critical underwater infrastructure inspections, and hydrographic survey missions.
Underwater sensor manufacturer, Impact Subsea, reveals new brand identity
Impact Subsea has revealed a new brand identity incorporating an updated logo, icon and look. The new logo is an evolution of the original while the icon is based on a unique mechanical design feature found in every Impact Subsea sensor.
Ben Grant, joint founder and Managing Director commented;
“When Alastair and I founded Impact Subsea nine years ago, we had a vision to create a range of ground breaking underwater sensor technology. Impact Subsea has grown every year since founding and we are delighted to continue to lead our highly capable team through a time of significant growth.
As the company continues to evolve and mature, it became imperative to revise our brand identity to reflect the growth and development that Impact Subsea has achieved.”
He also highlighted that the company has significant plans for further growth;
“We have a new ground-breaking sensor solution arriving Q1 this year and have invested heavily in staff and facilities to continue to provide excellent support and service to our user base.”
Impact Subsea has a clear vision for its new brand identity centred on its strong name and reputation for designing innovative technology.
The company, based in Aberdeen, United Kingdom, has supplied its cutting-edge underwater technology solutions to the defence, energy and scientific sectors worldwide.
The IMarEST welcomes new Chief Executive
The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST) has announced the appointment of Chris Goldsworthy as the new Chief Executive. Chris replaces Gwynne Lewis who is retiring, having been in the position since 2020.
Chris is a Fellow of the IMarEST and former Cyprus Branch Chair. He embarked on his career as an Engineer Cadet with P&O Containers, where he spent 16 years at sea, achieving the rank of Chief Engineer Officer. He transitioned to shore-based roles in 2005 as a Technical Superintendent, and his journey has led him to technical, fleet, management and director positions. Throughout his career, he has overseen diverse fleets, nurtured strong teams, and provided strategic leadership to boards and executives, exemplifying his technical acumen and leadership prowess.
Chris Goldsworthy, IMarEST Chief Executive says: “It’s an honour to take on this role for the Institute that I have been a passionate member of since I started my career. The Institute is unique in bringing together engineers, scientists and technologists in the sector and I am looking forward to working with our members to solve some of the biggest challenges we have ever faced, to shape a more sustainable future for the marine sector.”
Kevin Daffey, Chair of the IMarEST Board of Trustees, says: “I am delighted to welcome Chris to the role of Chief Executive of IMarEST and working with him and the team over the coming years. I would also like to thank Gwynne who has been an exceptional CEO, serving with dedication since mid-2020. Under his leadership, we have witnessed remarkable achievements, including the recruitment of a talented executive team, and the successful implementation of new IT infrastructure. Gwynne's instrumental role in revitalising our Institute's finances and fostering operational excellence cannot be understated. The Trustees express our heartfelt gratitude for his contributions and wish him a fulfilling and well-deserved retirement.”
The IMarEST is a registered charity and the international professional body and learned society for all marine professionals. It is the largest marine organisation of its kind and promotes the scientific development of marine engineering, science and technology, providing opportunities for the exchange of ideas and practices, aiding in the development and upholding the status, standards and knowledge of marine professionals worldwide.
ASL floating new wave measurement opportunities
ASL is pleased to announce that it has recently acquired three Mesemar PBM-15 Polyethylene buoys for a major metocean study we are undertaking for a client project. These buoys are designed to the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) recommendations and are made from high-quality rotomoulded virgin polyethylene, filled with closed-cell expanded polyurethane foam. These are very suitable for deep-water sites where extreme weather requires a more robust buoy for metocean data collection. They feature the ability to add an internal ballast weight for greater stability and high shock resistance.
Following their successful recovery in the spring of 2024, we plan to add these to our lease pool to offer to future clients, especially for measuring directional waves in offshore environments to support the development of offshore wind farms and other marine renewable energy projects where stable, reliable data collection over extended periods is required.
The PBM-15 provides a robust platform suited to harsh conditions offshore or a stable platform in more protected waterways. This platform can easily be configured to meet client monitoring needs and client-customized instrument packages. These buoys are intended to expand our existing shallow-water wave monitoring services to include deep-water directional wave studies for site assessment, numerical modeling studies, engineering design criteria and extremal analysis, and other applications. Examples of data collection include, but are not limited to, directional waves, wind, barometric pressure, and custom solutions.
Ferd invests in ocean technology group General Oceans
Ferd, a family-owned investment company, has acquired a 25 percent stake in the ocean technology group General Oceans. Following several acquisitions in recent years, General Oceans now consists of five world-leading companies covering key areas of ocean technology.
"With Ferd as a strategic owner, we have secured funding for further acquisitions as well as expertise to further develop the companies we acquire. Ocean technology is a fast-growing industry, but it is also fragmented. This requires consolidation, something General Oceans will continue to contribute to", says Atle Lohrmann, CEO of General Oceans.
Ferd will also be represented on General Ocean's board, including through Torfinn Kildal, who has a background as CEO of Kongsberg Maritime and extensive experience from international industry.
"General Oceans manages technology that helps us understand and preserve the world’s oceans. The investment therefore fits very well into our portfolio. We are looking forward to building on the strong positions General Oceans already has within ocean technology globally", says Gustav Martinsen, Investment Professional at Ferd Capital.
Ferd invests in General Oceans through a private placement of NOK 230 million. In addition, Ferd acquires shares from several smaller shareholders. In total, the ownership share will be 25 per cent, but the parties have an ambition that this will eventually be increased to 34 per cent. Atle Lohrmann will still control 56 percent of General Oceans after the transaction.
A breakthrough year for digitalisation in the offshore sector
When Marius Five Aarset became Miros Chief Executive at the start of 2023, he set out three key aims for the year for the global oceans insights experts to work towards. To develop the company into renewables and support the acceleration towards net zero goals; to further boost Miros’ cloud technology and modern as-a-service business model; and to translate accurate measurements of the ocean surface into actionable information.
“For the last 12 months, we have been laser-focused on developing our product suite and business models so that they can better help to drive enhancements in the marine and energy sectors, particularly in offshore vessels and offshore wind. We have had great success in this endeavor, and it will continue to be an essential priority for Miros as we move into 2024,” Aarset explains.
“Offshore wind was in the media a great deal in 2023 – some of the coverage positive and some negative – but from our observation there is one point that is clear; the industry is moving. More than ever before developers are more eager to adopt solutions and services for optimizing operations and maintenance. Beyond that, digital business models are now being embraced and appreciated for the value they add across a wide range of industries and regions.”
From vessels and offshore wind projects in Europe to oil and gas operations in Brazil, Miros’ wave and current measurement technology is continuing to inform operations across the world. In 2023 the company experienced solid growth in contracts, going beyond its expectations and across various geographies and markets, as the industry becomes more aware of the value of real-time measurements over forecasts and the benefits of digital business models.
Aarset said: “As an industry we are now at a point where there is established trust in cloud-based technologies, something that is encouraging collaboration between partners. Take our oil spill detection contract with Petrobras in Brazil, which allows offshore data to be securely shared with multiple stakeholders in real-time. Environmental protection is now a major focus for companies, and we have seen demand for Miros’ market leading solutions globally.
“Partners and partnerships are core to Miros’ strategy, right across our value chain from innovation to development to sales, delivery, and customer service. We see customers as our affiliates and this modern, transparent way of working translates into business-led innovation that shapes and drives our technology forward.”
As part of its drive to stay ahead of the curve, or wave, Miros is bringing next generation wave and vessel motion prediction to market, with key offshore customers being early adopters of the technology. It is a technology development that will take shape further in 2024 and, in tandem with this, work is also ongoing to assess vessel behaviors and performance in transit to produce greater real-time insight for safety, efficiency and a more rounded service offering in cooperation with our joint venture Miros Mocean.
Jonas Røstad, Miros Chief Commercial Officer, said: “Unquestionably, 2023 has been a real breakthrough year for the adoption of digitalization in the offshore space, with a real uptake for our as-a-service solution. It is a model that we have been offering and continuously improving since 2018 and companies, especially those that are future-orientated, are recognizing and appreciating the value this brings to their businesses’ bottom line. As part of this, we are closely cooperating with selected customers to help elevate the safety, sustainability, and performance of their maritime operations. We look forward to making an announcement to the maritime industry around this next year.”
On a personal level, the end of the year also offers some time for Aarset to reflect on his journey to date with Miros.
He said: “Miros has a long and proud history, something that is encapsulated by the team’s unique and cooperative way of working. We span a wide range of industries, using Norwegian expertise to service a global market, and that is something I am immensely humbled to be a part of. I am confident that our successes will continue into 2024 when we will also reach a major landmark in the ongoing history of our great company – Miros’ 40th anniversary.”