Join RBR’s President Greg Johnson for a Special Webinar Series
During this time of remote working, RBR wants to help you continue learning about new instruments, applications, and methods. Join RBR's President, Greg Johnson, every Wednesday starting November 4, 2020, for a special webinar series. Each webinar will be presented three times to accommodate various time zones and include an interesting topic and a question and answer session.
View the webinar schedule and register: here.
Ocean Business postponed until July 2021
Ocean Business organiser Diversified Communications UK has confirmed that the show’s next edition has been postponed due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The ocean technology exhibition and training forum will now take place from 12-14 October 2021 at the National Oceanography Centre, in Southampton UK.
The magnitude and unprecedented scale of the Covid-19 outbreak and the subsequent government restrictions have affected the lives and livelihoods of people and businesses around the world.
Cheri Arvonio, event director of Ocean Business, says: “Like all businesses, we have been closely following the rapidly changing developments during these difficult times. While we are hopeful that the current tough measures on restricted social interaction will be lifted by the spring, there are still too many questions surrounding hotels, travel, social distancing measures, and individual company policies, to make it viable to run Ocean Business in April. Clearly, the best and most responsible option for everyone involved is to wait and host an even better show in July.
“We appreciate how important Ocean Business is to the industry it serves and are very sorry to disappoint the thousands of attendees that were planning on exhibiting and visiting. However, the success as well as the safety of our exhibitors, visitors, speakers and partners is our priority and we are hoping that everyone will get behind this tough but necessary decision.
“The good news is that much of the event planning is already in place, and we go into 2021 with an incredible amount of good will and support. The Diversified UK team would like to thank everyone – our exhibitors, visitors, speakers and partners – for their continued support and patience. We look forward to working together to ensure that Ocean Business continues to be the celebration and gathering the industry deserves – and can be proud of.”
Ocean Business will take place from Tuesday 6th July to Thursday 8th July 2021 at the National Oceanography Centre, in Southampton UK.
OTAQ Plc - Acquisition of ROS Technology
OTAQ, the marine technology products and solutions group for the global aquaculture and offshore oil and gas industries, is pleased to announce the acquisition of the trade and assets of ROS Technology Limited (“ROS Technology”).
OTAQ has acquired the trade and assets of ROS Technology for a consideration of up to £300,000 to be satisfied from existing cash resources (the “Acquisition”). The Acquisition consideration comprises initial consideration of £225,000 and up to a further £75,000 of deferred consideration, payable in two instalments of £37,500 over the next two years, subject to certain criteria.
Founded and managed by Dr Peter Robinson, ROS Technology is an innovative technology business which specialises in electronics and mechanical design in multiple industries including aquaculture and offshore. The Acquisition will add existing revenue generating contracts and greatly enhance OTAQ’s aquaculture R&D capability as the Company looks to broaden its product offering.
As part of the Acquisition, Peter will join the Company and have responsibility for the continued development of the acquired ROS Technology products as well as joining the existing OTAQ R&D team. A technology innovator for over 40 years and formerly a founder of OTAQ and designer of the original SealFence product, Peter is well known to the Directors of OTAQ and has recently assisted the Company in its work with the US aquaculture company, Minnowtech LLP.
For the unaudited year ended 30 June 2020, ROS Technology generated revenues of approximately £312,000 and made a profit before tax of approximately £152,000. As at 30 June 2020, its unaudited gross assets amounted to approximately £196,000.
Commenting on the Acquisition, Phil Newby, Chief Executive at OTAQ, said:
“We are very pleased to welcome Peter back to OTAQ through the acquisition of his business, ROS Technology. Peter is well known to the Directors of OTAQ and has a first-class track record for developing ground breaking technologies. At a time where OTAQ is broadening its product and service portfolio to a global client base looking for competitive advantage in its markets, this is an exciting addition to our research and development capability.”
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IMarEST premieres short film on safeguarding the oceans
The Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST) and ITN Productions Industry News have co-produced Ocean Aware, a short film that draws attention to the challenges facing the ocean, explaining the mechanisms we have to defend them and steward their resources. It showcases the stories of science, innovation and sustainability that are transforming the marine sector.
Ocean Aware aims to shine a light on the web of international governmental organisations tasked with ensuring the safety of shipping, safeguarding the environment and finding ways to equitably share ocean resources. It explains the opportunities open to IMarEST members to influence discussions taking place in these bodies and shape future regulation by contributing their expertise.
In addition to interviews with IMarEST President Kevin Daffey and Jennifer Gomez-Molina, Co-Chair of the IMarEST Offshore Renewables Special Interest Group, the programme features segments from organisations that are addressing some of the key challenges facing the marine domain.
It outlines IMO’s efforts to tackle biofouling and the threat of invasive species and an initiative by the insurer AXA XL aimed at supporting the restoration of mangroves to protect communities threatened by rising sea levels.
The shipping, energy and commodities analyst S&P Global sheds light on the relationship between commercial imperatives and environmental goals. The quest to run vessels efficiently and sustainably is the subject of a piece from the fuel testing experts VPS. The final segment in cooperation with Seaflo reveals how enhanced simulator and digital technologies are set to improve the delivery of training to people working in the sector.
To celebrate the film's premiere, the IMarEST is holding a virtual event on 23 November. Former IMO secretary general Kitack Lim will set the scene for the first official screening. This will be followed by a 30-minute panel discussion led by IMarEST President Kevin Daffey on climate resilience, new frontiers in regulation and expanding ocean literacy.
These key themes will be explored from multiple angles by representatives from organisations featured in the film as well as representatives from the Commonwealth Blue Charter and senior members from the Institute's Special Interest Groups. The debate will conclude with an interactive Q&A session giving viewers the opportunity to put their own questions to the panel.
To register your place for the premiere of Ocean Aware, visit:
https://www.imarest.org/events/category/categories/imarest-event/film-premiere-ocean-aware
Kraken Completes Successful Fall OceanVision™ Campaign
Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX-V: PNG, OTCQB: KRKNF), Canada’s Ocean Company, is pleased to announce that it recently completed its third offshore data acquisition and technology demonstration campaign as part of the $19 million OceanVision™ project. During this campaign, Kraken deployed its new SeaScout® system which consists of Kraken’s KATFISH™ towed synthetic aperture sonar, the Tentacle® winch and Autonomous Launch and Recovery System (ALARS) to conduct ultra-high definition seabed imaging and mapping in Atlantic Canada.
The OceanVision™ campaign took place from September 21 to October 18 and included the mobilization and integration of Kraken’s KATFISH™ system onboard Atlantic Towing Limited’s Atlantic Kingfisher offshore supply vessel. This marks the 8th different vessel type that Kraken’s KATFISH™ has operated from, demonstrating the flexibility and robustness of operation on vessels ranging in length from 39 feet to 262 feet.
During the campaign, Kraken collected data in a variety of areas focusing on marine habitats, iceberg scours and other objects of interest, operating the KATFISH™ and ALARS in up to Sea State 6 conditions. In addition to capturing large amounts of ultra-high definition seafloor data, Kraken was very pleased with the performance of its ALARS system. The ALARS had recently completed successful sea trials in Nova Scotia on Kraken’s Ocean Seeker vessel, and the OceanVision campaign provided the first opportunity to deploy the system in real-world offshore environmental conditions. This campaign also saw the first successful offshore demonstration of Kraken’s SeaVision® laser profiler integrated in the KATFISH™. The SeaVision® laser profiler will act as an integral part of a gap filler solution, thus increasing the area coverage rate of the KATFISH™ versus other solutions without gap fillers.
Karl Kenny, Kraken’s President and CEO said, “I am very pleased to see the successful completion of yet another OceanVision™ campaign – building upon lessons learned in previous campaigns, demonstrating cutting edge technologies in challenging conditions, and imaging the seabed in and around Atlantic Canada at resolutions never before seen. The KATFISH™ system continues to produce excellent results and astounding images. I was especially pleased to see the successful real-world testing of our ALARS system. Sea conditions in October in the North Atlantic Ocean are far from ideal, and the combination of the ALARS and the Tentacle Winch allowed our team to safely and efficiently launch and recover the KATFISH™, minimizing risk to personnel and to equipment, and significantly increasing our operational envelope.”
“Kraken looks forward to future campaigns in 2021 as part of the OceanVision™ project which will see integration of new technology developments from Kraken and its partners including Multi-Spectral Synthetic Aperture Sonar, ThunderFish® XL AUV and the DIVE LD-AUV. These technologies will form a key part of our emerging Robotics as a Service business as we deploy innovative technology platforms across ocean sectors and extend the global reach and market opportunities for Kraken and our partners.”
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Rhonda Reidy Awarded NSERC Grant in Partnership with ASL to Measure Baleen Whale Prey in British Columbia
The University of Victoria Ph.D. candidate Rhonda Reidy has recently received funding for her project “Modifying an Acoustic Zooplankton and Fish Profiler for quantitative spatial sampling of baleen whale prey in British Columbia”, co-supervised by Dr. Laura Cowen and Dr. Stephane Gauthier. This funding comes from an NSERC Alliance grant awarded to Laura Cowen. Reidy studies baleen whale foraging dynamics. North Pacific humpback whales, in particular, are increasing in abundance and, in BC, are increasingly struck by vessels and entangled in fishing gear. New tools are required to observe their interactions including collecting data on the humpback whale diet. The goal of a partnership between Reidy and ASL Environmental Sciences (ASL) is to collaborate on a modified ASL Acoustic Zooplankton and Fish Profiler (AZFP). The AZFP is an autonomous and calibrated scientific echo sounder, designed for long-term environmental monitoring of the water column from a stationary mooring on the seafloor. In a bottom-mounted, upward-looking orientation, the AZFP monitors the presence of zooplankton and fish by measuring acoustic backscatter returns at multiple ultrasonic frequencies.
One great interest to the marine conservation community in BC is to develop reliable measurement methods for the evaluation of baleen whale diet over time. The objectives of this project are to (i) modify the AZFP for efficient use on small boats and (ii) evaluate the performance of the AZFP regarding its utility for collecting high-resolution prey data near feeding baleen whales. Reidy’s research will employ the AZFP in a vessel-mounted, downward-looking orientation from the sea surface which requires modifying the AZFP’s external hardware and developing custom software. Advantages of this modification include ruggedized portability of the instrument, expedited deployments and ease of use by non-physical oceanographers. In contrast to ship-based surveys or stationary moorings on the seafloor, portability provides high resolution data collection at low cost as well as rapid visualization and evaluation of results.
ASL will incorporate Reidy’s feedback into the modified system. Examples include a new AZFP interface unit for above-water operation on a moving platform and less complicated software for expediting system deployments. The “new” AZFP will enable enhanced spatial surveys that are economical, quantitative, and repeatable and that are conducted over a significantly shorter duration than a six or twelve-month fixed deployment on the seafloor.
ASL will contribute to this project through a cash contribution and through in-kind contributions. Engineering expertise is in collaboration with Dr. Stephane Gauthier, an acoustics scientist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada who will offer use of an AZFP purchased by DFO as well as his expertise using the AZFP data. Dr. Laura Cowen is an ecological statistician who will be providing statistical support. ASL staff will assist with the project—Jan Buermans will oversee ASL’s participation, Matt Stone will install the modified AZFP on the field boat and Rene Chave will be responsible for implementing software updates and troubleshooting. Dr. Steve Pearce, ASL’s AZFP product manager, with expertise in applied sonar systems, will be liaison between ASL and the Cowen laboratory, assisting in all aspects of the partnership.
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NORBIT Aptomar acquires the SeaDarQ radar system for environmental monitoring
Nortek announces the sale of its SeaDarQ radar technology for environmental monitoring and oil spill detection to NORBIT Aptomar, a technology provider to global maritime markets.
NORBIT, which is headquartered in Trondheim, Norway, will integrate the SeaDarQ software with NORBIT’s existing SeaCOP environmental monitoring system. The SeaCOP system combines remote sensing technologies – like radar, infrared cameras and sonars – with state-of-the-art data fusion and artificial intelligence.
Using a high-resolution marine X-band radar, the NORBIT Aptomar SeaDarQ System can automatically detect, track and monitor oil spills on the ocean surface.
Developing and expanding the capabilities of the SeaDarQ system Nortek’s subsidiary in the Netherlands has worked to develop, renew and expand the capabilities of the SeaDarQ system since Nortek acquired it in 2011. The most important product development milestones since then were the automated detection of oil spills through improved image processing and the addition of detection and tracking algorithms. Radar acquisition and processing hardware have also been improved and simplified.
OSD radar processors monitor the presence of capillary waves, caused by the wind affecting the water surface. When an OSD radar processor detects an area with no capillary waves, it could be a possible oil spill.
Since 2011, the SeaDarQ system has been especially successful in China and Brazil, including a landmark Brazilian project comprised of radars, cameras and software on an FPSO and support vessels.
NORBIT’s acquisition of the SeaDarQ system presents an opportunity to provide a truly ground-breaking technology for environmental monitoring, adding valuable data points for port security, asset protection, vessel traffic monitoring and oil spill detection to their already extensive solution.
Nortek strengthens its strategic focus on core technologies. Selling this business activity allows Nortek’s office in the Netherlands to focus on core technologies and activities, such as its successful vessel-mounted (or moving-boat) current measurement system, the Signature VM Ocean and Coastal.
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Seiche wins Ørsted contract to ensure Marine Mammal Safety is of the highest priority during construction of world’s largest offshore wind farm – Hornsea Two
Seiche Ltd’s specialist team of personnel and equipment have mobilised to two key vessels on Ørsted’s Hornsea Two offshore wind farm site. Their purpose is to manage Ørsted’s commitment to ensure impacts to marine mammals during the Hornsea Two wind farm construction activities are negligible.
Specialising in marine mammal monitoring and mitigation measures, the team from Seiche has been brought on board to ensure compliance with procedures that seek to minimise the effects of construction noise on the local marine population. Key species known to occur in the project area are harbour porpoise, white-beaked dolphins, minke whales as well as grey and harbour seals.
Prior to any construction activities taking place, dedicated Marine Mammal Observers (MMOs) will monitor the area for any animals that could be affected by the noise produced from pile driving.
Monitoring activities are taking place from DEME’s jack-up installation vessels during the installation of 165 monopiles as well as Heerema’s semisubmersible crane vessel Sleipnir during the construction of the 2 offshore substations. In addition to visual monitoring to ensure marine mammals are not within close proximity to piling operations, acoustic deterrent devices (ADDs) are used to deter animals from the area to protect them from harmful levels of noise.
Seiche’s team of observers and ADD Operators ensure that the Marine Mammal Mitigation Plan, which follows the government’s Joint Nature Conservation Committee’s guidance protocol, is adhered to at all times. Should a mammal be detected within the designated protection zone piling operations are delayed until the mammal leaves the area.
Based locally in East Anglia, Seiche’s Associate Director of Environmental Services Nicola Harris said: “As a company we are extremely pleased to be working with Ørsted as well as its contractors DEME and Heerema to ensure that the construction of the world’s largest wind farm can be completed without harming the marine animals off our own coast. Offshore Renewables are key to developing a greener and more sustainable future and we are proud to be working with companies like Ørsted to be a part of that achievement.”
Natalia Lopez, Senior Environment & Consents Specialist for Ørsted said: “We adhere to a strict consenting process before any construction works commence offshore and it’s imperative that outlined procedures are fully adhered to. It’s great to be able to work alongisde UK based suppliers with specialist expertise in this field so that together, we can deliver the world’s largest offshore wind farm in the most sustainable way possible.”
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Forum’s XT500 trenching system to support major cable maintenance project in Asia
Forum Energy Technologies has secured an order to supply specialist subsea equipment for a major cable maintenance project in South East Asia.
The contract, which was awarded through Forum’s local representatives, will see the company deploy a Perry® XT500 trenching system and Dynacon® Launch and Recovery System as well as associated surface power and control installations. The equipment will be used to support telecommunication contracts in South East Asia and the Indian Ocean.
The XT500 trenching system is ideally suited to cable maintenance projects with a 3,000m depth rating and three metre ROV burial capability on the ocean floor. It utilises Forum’s proven Integrated Control Engine (ICE™) and has robust 500 HP power.
The vehicle will be manufactured at Forum’s facility at Kirkbymoorside, Yorkshire and installed onboard the client’s vessel in early 2021. As part of the workscope, Forum will also deliver operational and maintenance training for the client’s personnel and provide support during the first mobilisation onboard the vessel, including sea trials.
Kevin Taylor, Forum’s Vice President - Subsea Vehicles, said: “Forum has a strong reputation globally for manufacturing high quality, robust ROVs and associated auxiliary products for a number of industries ranging from oil and gas to renewables, defence, mining and telecommunications. We have continued to strengthen our footprint in Asia and this contract is a testament to our high-quality equipment and skilled personnel. Our local representative is a well-respected supplier in the region and our partnership has provided a strong channel to complement to our existing framework.
“This is the fifth ROV we have delivered to this client and we are thrilled the organisation continues to see the value our ROVs deliver. I am looking forward to seeing our system provide the required operational resilience, reliability and performance standards expected in such a safety-critical sector.”
The XT500 trenching system is designed to meet the demanding trenching requirements of both strong soils and deep flowline burial protection over long stretches. Capable of operating in free-fly, skid-based trenching and survey modes, the system is designed for demanding applications, providing a robust solution even in the world’s harshest environments.
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Sonardyne technology to underpin superyacht safety and security
Navigation and intruder detection technology from Sonardyne has been chosen by marine security systems specialist MarineGuard Systems to protect and provide safe navigation for two new-build superyachts. One of the new vessels will be fitted with Sonardyne’s Vigilant forward looking sonar (FLS), while the second will have the company’s Sentinel intruder detection sonar (IDS) system installed.
Vigilant FLS builds an easy to interpret 3D visualisation of the seafloor terrain and any navigation hazards out to 600 m ahead of the vessel in real-time, significantly reducing the likelihood of collisions and groundings and enabling safe passage in unfamiliar and unchartered areas. In open waters, Vigilant also provides configurable automated depth and collision warnings out to an industry-leading 1.5 km and down to 150 m water depth. Sentinel IDS is the most widely installed commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) security sonar on the market, providing wide-area perimeter protection. Suitable for both permanent and temporary vessel installation, Sentinel detects, tracks and classifies underwater threats at up to 1.5 km range to provide a rapidly deployed and activated perimeter intrusion capability to help safeguard large private yachts when at anchor or berthed in a marina.
MarineGuard Systems Ltd, a bespoke provider of integrated security systems and products based in Southampton England, has been working with Sonardyne for many years, working on some of the largest 100 metre-plus long yachts.
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