Motive Offshore acquires Acteon Group’s Aquatic
Motive Offshore Group, which specialises in rental, inspection and engineering equipment for the energy sector, announces its acquisition of Aquatic, a global leader in laying and retrieving flexible products from the seabed, previously owned by marine energy and infrastructure services company Acteon. The deal will increase Motive’s rental fleet and provide a full back-deck offering globally.
Motive will undertake Aquatic’s operations in the UK, Singapore, the US, Australia, and Norway, marking a significant milestone in its global growth strategy. The deal, in response to burgeoning market demand, will provide customers with access to a wider range of flex lay equipment for offshore telecoms, offshore wind farms, and oil and gas fields. Bolstered by investment from H2 Equity Partners in 2022, the acquisition aligns with Motive’s continued ambitions to target strategic locations, diversify its rental fleet, and generate 75% of revenue from renewables by 2025. The business is on track with this target, achieving 50% of renewable revenue YTD in 2024.
As part of the agreement, Motive will also acquire and invest in Aquatic’s facility in Peterhead, Scotland. The hub will become an additional base in Scotland for Motive, alongside its Boyndie and Kintore facilities.
Dave Acton, Chief Executive Officer of Motive, comments, “As an established and longstanding offshore business, we have valued Aquatic as a partner for some time, working closely together over the past couple of years. Its highly skilled engineering team and quality equipment make it a perfect fit for our business, both on a cultural and operational level. This move demonstrates our commitment to delivering specialist equipment to our customers in Scotland through investing in new facilities and in international locations where they need our services. We are proud to combine our teams to draw greater efficiencies for our customers, providing a one-supplier solution.”
This marks the latest in a series of strategic acquisitions by Motive, including growing its team to a headcount of now 335 people and operating in over 52 locations. The combined business will generate revenues of over £65m, a 97% increase since the time of H2’s investment in July 2022, further showcasing Motive’s commitment to its international growth and diversification plans by applying offshore resources, cross-sector collaboration, and innovation to the energy sector.
Brice Bouffard, Chief Executive Officer of Acteon added: “This transaction represents the initial step in aligning our portfolio with Acteon's long-term strategic goals. Aquatic has been an integral part of our business, and we are confident that it will continue to flourish and provide exceptional value to its global customers under Motive’s ownership. This divestment enables Acteon to concentrate on our core strengths, driving innovation and investments where we can have the greatest impact. We remain committed to optimising our portfolio to better serve our customers and stakeholders as we navigate the evolving energy landscape.”
CSignum Introduces EM-2S: A Breakthrough in Wireless Under-Ship Monitoring
CSignum Introduces EM-2S: A Breakthrough in Wireless Under-Ship Monitoring
CSignum, a leader in underwater and underground wireless data networking, is excited to announce the launch of its latest innovation, the EM-2S. This new solution is purpose-designed to be mounted on marine vessels below the waterline providing essential communications for advanced monitoring functions. Traditional wireless networks do not work underwater; CSignum’s patented electromagnetic field signaling (EMFS) crosses the divide enabling underwater sensor data to be communicated to networks above the surface. For the first time, the shipping industry, navies and coastguards are able to conduct comprehensive monitoring below the water, with wireless communications to the deck and networks above.
The innovative capabilities of the EM-2S ship-mounted solution provides two-way data communications to monitor various areas:
- Track propulsion system wear, strain, and efficiency to optimize performance.
- Detects and notifies of critical security threats to maritime assets.
- Enables precise control and release of underwater objects.
- Facilitates seamless data communication with dockside monitoring systems.
- Monitors environmental conditions to ensure compliance and sustainability.
Presently, monitoring is predominantly conducted through manual inspections and such approaches lack the capability to provide continuous, real-time data, making it challenging to promptly address emerging issues. CSignum’s EM-2S significantly improves monitoring by offering a wireless, cable-free solution that overcomes the limitations of traditional methods and offers a way to monitor dynamic operating conditions.
“The EM-2S is a game-changer for the maritime industry, providing a reliable, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly solution for under-ship monitoring,” said Jonathan Reeves, CEO at CSignum. “By enabling continuous, real-time data collection, we empower ship operators to address potential issues before they become major problems, enhancing operational efficiency and reducing environmental impact.”
The EM-2S system includes the following key features and benefits:
- Wireless Data Transmission: Utilizing advanced electromagnetic field signaling (EMFS), the EM-2S ensures reliable data transmission from the hull-mounted sensors to a topside EM-2 unit, eliminating the need for cumbersome cabling.
- Comprehensive Monitoring: The EM-2S can be integrated with a variety of sensors to monitor environmental parameters and security to provide a holistic view of the ship’s hull.
- Real-Time Data: Continuous monitoring and real-time data transmission enable proactive maintenance, reducing the risk of severe damage and costly repairs.
- Cost Efficiency: By reducing the need for manual inspections and minimizing installation and maintenance costs, the EM-2S offers a cost-effective solution for ship hull monitoring.
- Minimal Environmental Impact: The non-intrusive design of the EM-2S ensures minimal disruption to marine life and ecosystems, supporting sustainable maritime operations.
Innovative wave energy project receives green light from EU
Innovative wave energy project receives green light from EU
A €19.6 million partnership project, which aims to be the stepping stone towards large scale wave energy commercialisation, has received formal go-ahead from the European Union.
WEDUSEA is a pioneering collaboration between 14 partners, spanning industry and academia from across the UK, Ireland, France, Germany and Spain. It is co-ordinated by the Irish company OceanEnergy.
The project is co-funded by the EU Horizon Europe Programme and by Innovate UK, the UK’s innovation agency.
In common with all other Horizon Europe projects, WEDUSEA has undergone a comprehensive independent review by EU appointed external experts following its initial project design period to ensure the technical designs and all plans, budgets and protocols are fully in place and approved.
The green light has now been received from the EU and the project can proceed to its next stage.
The WEDUSEA project will demonstrate a grid connected 1MW OE35 floating wave energy converter at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) wave energy test site at Billia Croo in Orkney, Scotland. A rigorous technical and environmental demonstration will happen over a two-year period in Atlantic wave conditions.
OceanEnergy has developed the OE35, which is the world’s largest capacity floating wave energy device. Floating on the ocean’s surface, the device incorporates a trapped air volume, with the lower part open to the sea. Wave pressures at the submerged opening cause the water to oscillate and drive the trapped air through a turbine to generate electricity. Electricity generated will be exported to the UK grid via EMEC’s subsea cables.
Prof Tony Lewis, Chief Technical Officer at OceanEnergy, says: “Wave energy is the world’s most valuable renewable resource with around 30TWh of potential annual production waiting to be harnessed. That’s almost ten times Europe’s annual electricity consumption. However, this potential has yet to be fully realised. The project will demonstrate that wave technology is on a cost reduction trajectory and will thus be a stepping stone to larger commercial array scale up and further industrialisation. We predict that the natural energy of the world’s oceans will one day supply much of the grid.”
The WEDUSEA project has three phases. The first phase is the initial design and build of a device suited to the ocean conditions at EMEC’s Billia Croo wave energy test site. This will be followed by the demonstration at the site, lasting two years. The final phase will be commercialisation and dissemination which sees the capitalisation and exploitation of the results.
Matthijs Soede from the European Commission said at the start of the project: “WEDUSEA is set to be a major catalyst for the wave energy industry, unlocking the full potential of this exciting renewable technology.
Prof Lars Johanning of University of Plymouth says: “The WEDUSEA partnership has worked hard to ensure that all detailed designs and planning are robust, to prove that the project is viable and that the project will be delivered within budget. Now we have received the green light from the EU, it’s all systems go!”
The wave converter build starts in the second half of 2024 and the demonstration at EMEC is expected to begin in June 2025.
Disclaimer:
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are, however, those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Impact Subsea Strengthens Canadian Presence with M2Ocean Distributor
Impact Subsea, a global leader in subsea sensor solutions, is delighted to announce a new distributor agreement with M2Ocean Solutions, expanding its reach in the Canadian market.
This collaboration marks Impact Subsea's second distributor in Canada, further solidifying its commitment to serving the region's subsea industry.
M2Ocean, renowned for its expertise in non-traditional hydrographic solutions and oceanographic monitoring systems, will offer Impact Subsea’s comprehensive range of subsea sensors and solutions.
Together, they will provide Canadian sensor users with enhanced access to cutting-edge technology and local support for their subsea projects.
“We are excited to welcome M2Ocean as distributors of Impact Subsea sensors,” said Ben Grant, Managing Director of Impact Subsea.
“Their knowledge of the Canadian market, combined with our cutting-edge sensor technology, will enable us to better serve users of our sensors and drive innovation in the subsea sector.”
Together, Impact Subsea and M2Ocean will focus on providing advanced solutions for a wide range of applications, including offshore energy, aquaculture, oceanography, and marine science.
By leveraging their combined expertise, the partnership aims to contribute to the growth and success of the Canadian maritime industry.
IMarEST publishes special ‘Future Edition’ of Marine Professional
Youth takeover issue of IMarEST magazine guest edited by under-35 members
The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science & Technology (IMarEST) has published a special open access edition of its member magazine this week in celebration of its youth membership. Marine Professional has been guest edited by some of the Institute's under-35 members, featuring the voices of young professionals from across the international marine sector.
To celebrate this landmark edition, the IMarEST is offering free digital access to this issue until the end of 2024 – after then, it will only be available to members and subscribers, as usual. Marine Professional: The Future Edition is available here.
Marine Professional editor Carly Fields said:
“This issue of Marine Professional is dedicated to early career marine professionals and the pipeline of talent, of which there are plenty, and they are more than capable of successfully propelling the sector into the future.
“Celebrating the youth membership of the IMarEST, this issue has taken its shape from the suggestions and contributions from the Institute’s under-35 members. It has been my pleasure to assist our guest editors, Ashleigh Kitchiner and Evan Cheok, in curating this special edition.
“From the early submissions and content deliberations, through to the contributions and final content, passion for the marine industry has shone through at all stages. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed creating it.”
Guest editors Ashleigh Kitchiner and Evan Cheok said:
“As under-35 IMarEST members, we are honoured to be the guest editors for this issue. This unique edition marks the first of its kind as we champion IMarEST youth voices and share how they are shaping the future of the marine industry. Through our young members’ stories, in this issue we showcase their innovative ideas for a sustainable and inclusive community.
“We share inspiring stories of the technologies of tomorrow and renewal efforts taken by the IMarEST to nurture future leaders. We have curated a series of engaging features, including technical topics, as well as discussions on the skills required of a successful steward within the industry.”
Marine Professional is the official IMarEST magazine and newsletter, bringing the latest on marine news around the world via email newsletter once a week and in print four times a year. All members of the IMarEST receive Marine Professional, in either print or digital format depending on their membership category. Subscriptions are also available to institutions, organisations and companies.
With a strong news analysis focus, each issue looks at the trends emerging within the marine sector with a view to enhance the reader’s understanding of the complex technical intersections between the maritime, offshore and science agendas. Marine Professional has been shortlisted for two awards this year:
- 2024 Memcom Excellence Awards - Best Magazine, Circulation less than 20K
- Association Excellence Awards 2024 - Best Association Newsletter or Magazine
Pliant Offshore partners with Exail to enhance wind turbine installation precision
Exail, a leading manufacturer of advanced inertial navigation systems (INS), has secured a new contract to supply three Hydrins INS to Pliant Offshore, an offshore measurement specialist. These units will be integrated into Pliant Offshore's Installation Measurement System (IMS) to improve the accuracy and efficiency of wind turbine installations.
Pliant Offshore's IMS is an innovative technology designed to provide real-time measurements of the inclination and position of structures, such as monopiles, during installation. The system uses 3D point cloud technology combined with laser sensors to measure and virtually reconstruct objects with high accuracy. The integration of Exail Hydrins INS enhances the system performance by providing precise positioning and motion compensation, even on moving vessels. This enables the IMS to take continuous measurements during the pile-driving process, guaranteeing the correct positioning and stability of wind turbines in challenging offshore conditions.
“We particularly value the offshore capabilities of the Exail Hydrins INS for our operations,” said Alex Heurkens, founder of Pliant Offshore. “This system effectively meets the challenges of our working environment. The Hydrins is extremely robust, reliable and provides highly accurate data, ensuring excellent stabilization of our system and saving offshore contractors valuable time in the field”.
“We are delighted to continue supporting Pliant Offshore in this ground-breaking project,” said Hans-Willem de Leeuw, Sales Director at Exail B.V. “Our Hydrins INS, designed for offshore applications, offers exceptional accuracy in position, velocity and orientation measurements. They are the ideal solution for enhancing the performance of the IMS laser scanner system and ensuring highly efficient and accurate wind turbine installations”.
Exail Hydrins INS has a proven track record in various offshore projects, recognized for its reliability in a wide range of installations. The Pliant Offshore IMS system, now enhanced with Exail inertial sensors, will soon be available for rental as well, building on its success in the installation of over 1,000 wind turbines worldwide.
“K” Line Wind Service and Acteon have signed Japanese floating wind demonstration collaboration agreement
"K" Line Wind Service Ltd (KWS), a subsidiary of the “K” LINE Group, and Acteon, the international marine energy and infrastructure services business, have signed a non-exclusive memorandum of understanding (MOU) that sets out how the companies will use each other's skills and services to collaboratively support the Japan’s Floating Offshore Wind project including demonstration and commercial projects.
InterMoor, Acteon’s moorings and anchors brand, will provide comprehensive mooring, transportation and installation engineering support to KWS for the desktop study of the commercial project and to support the offshore installation of the demo project.
Acteon provides mooring solutions for all types of floating assets, from design and engineering to decommissioning. These include anchor and mooring system construction; floating infrastructure positioning and hooking up; mooring installation and inspection; maintenance, repair and replacement services; and late-life disposal services.
KWS has been actively engaged in the field of floating offshore wind. In the Japan’s Floating Offshore Wind Research and Development program, NEDO Green Innovation Fund Phase 1,KWS conducted intensive research for efficient mooring methods for large-scale Floating Offshore Wind farms. For conducting actual towing and mooring of floating assets for demonstration and commercial projects, KWS aims to provide safer and more efficient transportation and installation services with InterMoor’s engineering support.
“We can ensure the success and efficiency of this critical project,” says Barry Parsons, Chief Commercial Officer, Acteon, “by combining our expertise and resources in engineering and offshore installations with KWS’s capabilities.”
“Acteon is an ideal collaboration partner,” says Teruki Kuramoto, President of KWS. “They have proven history of fixed and floating wind innovation. Combined with the "K" LINE Group's expertise in operating Offshore Support Vessels, we will help to drive innovation and sustainability in floating offshore wind energy in Japan.”
FMS’ latest contract adds to proven track record in floating offshore wind
Global mooring solutions expert, First Marine Solutions (FMS), has been selected by the BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership to support its upcoming floating offshore wind developments.
The project activities will comprise engineering consultancy services pertaining to the partnership’s ScotWind (Broadshore and Bellrock) and INTOG (Sinclair and Scaraben) projects. With a predicted combined capacity of 2.3 GW, the projects could contribute significantly towards Scotland’s net-zero targets whilst maximising opportunities for the Scottish supply chain and encouraging local investment.
Managed and delivered by FMS’ Glasgow-based renewable energy consultancy and supported by specialists from its Aberdeen headquarters, the contract will see FMS undertake a number of services designed to inform the submission and conferment of the required offshore consents, with particular emphasis upon the environmental impact and technical feasibility of each development.
Drawing upon the company’s engineering, design and marine capabilities, the work scope focuses on mooring design screening and preliminary optimisation of concepts.
Steven Brown, FMS Managing Director, comments: “Since the inception of our renewable energy consultancy in 2020, we have been consistently developing the mooring and survey capabilities honed in the offshore oil and gas industry, in order to provide the offshore floating wind market with a comprehensive consultancy service designed to drive such landmark projects forward.
“We are therefore delighted to be working with as progressive and technically accomplished a partnership as BlueFloat Energy | Nadara, and we view this latest contract award as a significant addition to the proven track record we have been building in this field, both in the UK and overseas.”
David Robertson, Portfolio Director, Scotland at BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership, said: "Knowledge and skills transferred from the oil and gas industry will be key to advancing our floating wind ambitions in Scotland and we’re confident that FMS’s experience in both operational and conceptual designs will input greatly into our ScotWind and INTOG projects going forward."
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation Awards Grant to Teledyne Benthos - Grant to Advance Ropeless Fishing Technology
Teledyne Marine is pleased to announce that, Teledyne Benthos, a pioneer in underwater communication technology, has been awarded a $975,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) to advance on-demand, or ropeless, fishing technology. Ropeless fishing provides lobster and crab fisheries a means to recover fishing gear remotely, through subsea acoustic communication, thus reducing, or removing, the need for ropes, lines, and surface buoys.
This grant will support the development and advancement of ropeless fishing technology, crucial to promoting sustainable fishing practices while reducing marine life entanglements. Teledyne Benthos, EdgeTech, Inc., and the Sea Mammal Education Learning Technology Society (SMELTS) have been at the forefront of developing and testing ropeless fishing gear since 2018. The funded project is focused on modifying commercial equipment to enable these organizations to collaborate on a common user interface and associated acoustic transducer for vessel or portable use. The focus will be the interoperability between transponders and acoustic modems developed by Teledyne Benthos and EdgeTech. Gear marking will also be improved through directional measurements, enabling a common interface with Teledyne Raymarine chart plotters, and enhance usability, making ropeless fishing gear more accessible to end users.
Teledyne Benthos acoustic modems are the backbone of the ropeless fishing system. They facilitate reliable subsea communication that provides the information needed to deploy and retrieve gear without the traditional ropes and lines that can entangle marine life, including North Atlantic right whales and other cetaceans.
Developing a universal deck box used with an associated transponder will allow for a robust method for gear marking and retrieval. The transponders emit acoustic signals that are then detected by the vessel's deck box, enabling precise location marking and ensuring a seamless operation between Teledyne Benthos and other devices. The integration of a chart plotter provides a user-friendly interface that is designed to meet the practical users’ needs in real-world conditions, making it efficient for everyday use.
Teledyne Benthos will continue to work with deck box and transducer developers to test ropeless fishing gear by addressing interoperability requirements and improving gear marking technology to provide a viable and sustainable alternative for the fishing industry.
Teledyne Marine’s Chief Engineer, Bob Melvin, stated, “We are excited to be taking a significant step forward in innovative fishing technology. We are committed to providing the fishing industry with reliable and efficient tools while continuing to protect marine life and be responsible stewards of the ocean environment.”
This project is made possible through a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and will be executed in partnership with Edgetech and SMELTS.
Greensea IQ Announces Contract Award to Continue Development of Autonomous Expeditionary Maritime Response Vehicle for the U.S. Navy
Greensea IQ, is proud to announce an extension to its prototype (Other Transaction Agreement) with the Defense Innovation Unit and U.S. Navy following the successful completion to Phase 3 of the Autonomous Expeditionary Maritime Response Vehicle (AEMRV) prototype last fall. The objective of this contract modification is to demonstrate a production-ready edge processing configuration of Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Workspace, called EOD Edge, deployed in Greensea’s IQNS, with the autonomy and Automatic Target Recognition (ATR) components. This contract extension signifies a closer step to providing this enabling technology to U.S. Navy EOD Technicians.
IQNS provides an NVIDIA edge processor, integrated fiber optic gyro, aiding navigation sensors, and Greensea’s patented navigation solution for small underwater robots. IQNS is designed as an upgrade solution for systems currently running Greensea’s defense software suite and is used throughout Greensea’s own robot product line. Greensea is augmenting IQNS for this program with advanced autonomy capabilities for acquiring, classifying, and eventually neutralizing subsea threats while maintaining a significant standoff for EOD personnel. This new development is capable of upgrading the existing fleet of VideoRay Defender ROVs currently employed by the Navy and other defense forces.
The Phase 4 objective of this contract focuses on further developing EOD Edge to incorporate advanced AI features such as target classification using sonar and “operator assist” autonomy while in an untethered or long-range standoff configuration. These enhancements significantly improve the operational capabilities of ROVs, such as the VideoRay Defender, currently used by EOD forces and creates scale and safety for personnel charged with clearing threats from maritime environments.
“We are really excited about this opportunity to continue working with DIU and the Navy in the AEMRV program,” said Ben Kinnaman, Founder and CEO of Greensea IQ. “I believe in this mission and I believe in the role technology can play in creating safety and scale for these critical operations. The concepts of autonomy and AI foster ideas of futuristic robots replacing humans and the way we work on the ocean. In reality, autonomy and AI, at almost any stage of development, can aid humans and how we work on the ocean. In this case, these technologies will keep warfighters safe, provide them a greater reach, and give them an opportunity to do more with less. It is awesome the DoD is pursuing this common-sense application of cutting-edge technology.”
The upgraded VideoRay Defenders, with EOD Edge, will provide a robust solution for underwater EOD tasks. The integration of sonar-based target classification and operator assist autonomy enables more accurate threat detection and neutralization.
The technologies productized under this program will bring upgrades to Greensea’s EOD Edge software package, the edge processing solution for EOD Workspace, and an integrated solution with navigation and processing through IQNS. A lighter weight deployment through IQNS Mini will also be available. IQNS with EOD Edge will be available in Q4 2024 on Greensea’s Bayonet product line of Autonomous Underwater Ground Vehicle (AUGV) robots and for the VideoRay Defender in defense applications.
Greensea IQ has a long history of developing innovative solutions for the maritime defense industry. This contract modification builds on previous successful collaborations and demonstrates Greensea IQ’s commitment to advancing the state-of-the-art in marine robotics and automation.
For more information about Greensea IQ and its defense portfolio, please visit www.greenseaiq.com