Press Release

Teledyne Marine partners with Seatronics to increase distribution of Bowtech cameras and lights range in Europe, Americas, and Asia Pacific

Teledyne Marine are pleased to announce the appointment of Seatronics Group, an Acteon company as a distribution & service partner for its market leading Bowtech brand of underwater cameras, lights and underwater strobes.

Seatronics will not only add to Teledyne’s existing distribution sales network by making products more accessible to the market but also strengthen after-sale care around the globe making use of its regional service centres in UK, Singapore and USA.

“Imaging technology is the at heart of Teledyne’s business and since its acquisition in 2015, the Bowtech brand has formed a vital offering within our portfolio of underwater positioning, imaging and communication sensors,” William Egan, VP Sales & Marketing at Teledyne Marine, Imaging & Instruments. “With a long and positive track record of sale, rental and integration of Bowtech cameras and lights, Seatronics were a natural choice for Teledyne as we look to further increase global distribution for this successful range, be closer to our customers and continue to enhance the customer experience.”“Seatronics are delighted to announce this formal partnership with Teledyne Marine in support of the Bowtech brand” added Derek Donaldson, Managing Director of Seatronics. “It is great to see Seatronics leveraging our wider platform for sales and service for the Bowtech products globally from our Aberdeen, Houston and Singapore sites.”

For more information please contact Ed Cheesman, Sales and Business Develop Sr. Manager, Teledyne Marine at [email protected]

ABOUT TELEDYNE MARINE:
Teledyne Marine is a group of leading-edge subsea technology companies that are part of Teledyne Technologies Incorporated. Through acquisitions and collaboration, Teledyne Marine has evolved into an industry powerhouse, bringing Imaging, Instruments, Interconnect, Seismic, and Vehicle technology together to provide total solutions to our customers. www.teledynemarine.com

ABOUT SEATRONICS:
Seatronics, an Acteon company, are a global leader in the rental and sale of marine electronics equipment and subsea solutions. Their capabilities include custom sensor solutions; subsea electronics equipment rental; service repairs and calibration support; lightweight observation remotely operated vehicles (ROV); and ROV tooling, all built in partnership with key equipment manufacturers. As a single-source partner, Seatronics provides access to multiple and exclusive, global supplier partnerships, sourcing the best and latest technology available.
www.seatronics-group.com

by Dan Levett

The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project Announces Partnership with TCarta

As the effort in pursuit of the complete map of the ocean floor accelerates, The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project signs a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with TCarta Marine, LLC (TCarta) – a US-based company dedicated to marine remote sensing and hydrospatial data services.

Seabed 2030 is a collaborative project between The Nippon Foundation and GEBCO to inspire the complete mapping of the world's ocean by 2030, and to compile all bathymetric data into the freely available GEBCO Ocean Map. GEBCO is a joint project of the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) and is the only organisation with a mandate to map the entire ocean floor. Seabed 2030 is formally endorsed as a Decade Action of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

TCarta has been a global innovator in Satellite Derived Bathymetry (SDB), marine remote sensing and space-based hydrospatial technologies since its founding in 2014. The company has extensive experience producing custom, project-specific SDB, as well as en masse through automation and cloud computation.

TCarta is currently underway in grant research, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to pursue advancements in on-platform parameterization of satellite imagery collection for improved SDB data, as well as to develop standards of SDB, next-generation assessments of data accuracy, and definitions of zones of confidence.

“With just over 20 per cent of the seafloor mapped, we are aware of the significant task ahead of us – mapping the remaining 80 percent of the seafloor in under ten years,” commented Jamie McMichael-Phillips, Project Director of Seabed 2030. “However, at Seabed 2030 we subscribe to the view that with global cooperation, producing a complete map of the entire seafloor within our timeframe is achievable. We are therefore delighted to welcome the support of TCarta in helping us realise our goal.”

Commenting on the partnership, President of TCarta Kyle Goodrich said, “At TCarta, we recognize the need for a complete map of the seafloor and especially in vulnerable and dynamic coastal areas.

“We are very excited to bring TCarta’s vision for scalable, global satellite-based surveying technology, developed under our National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research grant, to participate in this important global initiative.

“TCarta looks forward to this partnership in striving for Seabed 2030 goals by contributing bathymetric data to in-fill the data gaps in existing hydrographic survey coverage.”

All data collected and shared with the Seabed 2030 Project is included in the GEBCO global grid, which is free and publicly available.

For more detailed information on The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project, please visit our website, seabed2030.org, like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter @Seabed2030, or contact [email protected].

The Nippon Foundation-GEBCO Seabed 2030 Project is a collaborative project between The Nippon Foundation and GEBCO. The Seabed 2030 Project, launched at the United Nations Ocean Conference in 2017 by Chairman Sasakawa of The Nippon Foundation, coordinates and oversees the sourcing and compilation of bathymetric data from different parts of the world’s ocean through its five centres into the freely-available GEBCO Grid. Four Regional Centres cover the Southern Ocean, the Arctic and North Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and the South and West Pacific Ocean. These feed data products into the Global Data Centre. Find out more about the project and how to get involved.

Pegah Souri
[email protected]
+44 (0)7951 581707

TCarta Marine, LLC (TCarta), a Denver, CO-based, independently owned small business with a mission to survey the seafloor utilizing space-based instruments and a vision for globally-produced, multi-source Satellite Derived Bathymetry solutions for coastal, littoral and lacustrine surveying. Find out more about TCarta here.

Kyle Goodrich
[email protected]
+1 (303) 284-6144

by Dan Levett

Impactful USV investment for GEOSIGHT

Specialist survey contractor GEOSIGHT is a multi-disciplinary geospatial survey company which has established its reputation for quality since its entry into the market in 2016. The environmentally minded
firm delivers survey projects in some of the UK’s most precious and environmentally-sensitive inland waterways such as the Norfolk Broads, and as a company is firmly committed to using modern,
cutting-edge equipment and techniques to deliver precise and accurate survey data.

The company’s environmentally centric approach and deployment of the latest survey technology combine in GEOSIGHT’S latest announcement of their first order for an Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) from HydroSurv Unmanned Survey (UK) Ltd scheduled for delivery early next year.

New for 2021, the REAV-28 is a 2.8m USV platform of catamaran hull form with a fully-electric propulsion system, which may be deployed and recovered from foreshores and beaches for a range of hydrographic and environmental survey applications. Based on HydroSurv’s smaller REAV-16, the larger vehicle has improved open-water sea-keeping and a more powerful propulsion system with greater endurance. In addition, the USV has a fully-integrated SVP winch and a series of enhanced and new control features.

The latest investment will enable GEOSIGHT to reduce the carbon emissions of its survey operations and offer a non-invasive survey acquisition tool which may be used in the presence of environmentally sensitive receivers. Additionally, the USV will reduce the need for surveyors to work afloat and reduce costs of mobilisation and operations, enabling GEOSIGHT to pass on increased value to its customers. “Having thoroughly researched the market, GEOSIGHT have found the right partner in HydroSurv, to move
forward with, and look forward to allying the REAV-28 with our NORBIT iWBMS high-resolution multibeam echosounder.” Brian Gamet, Principal Surveyor, GEOSIGHT.

“We’re excited to be working with Brian and his team at GEOSIGHT on this new REAV-28, which brings with it a series of new capabilities for HydroSurv’s smaller USV platforms. Working in close collaboration with GEOSIGHT will enable us to draw upon their hydrographic survey expertise and deliver a best-in-class
solution for readily-portable USVs.” David Hull, Founder & CEO, HydroSurv.

About HydroSurv
HydroSurv is a global innovator in Uncrewed Surface Vehicles (USVs) to democratise marine geospatial
data for the ocean industries. With a range of electric and hybrid USVs from 1.6 - 5.7m for inland,
nearshore and offshore operations, HydroSurv delivers a blended offering of USV platform sales, leasing,
design engineering and ‘Robotics as a Service’.

About GEOSIGHT
Established in 2016, GEOSIGHT has evolved to become a team of professional geospatial surveyors
providing clients with precise and accurate dimension data of both the built and natural environments on
both land and sea using modern, cutting-edge equipment and techniques. GEOSIGHT has built its
reputation on professionalism, efficiency and quality and is regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered
Surveyors (RICS), holds membership of the UK Survey Association as well as employee accreditation with
the RICS and Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors (CICES).

Contact details

HydroSurv Unmanned Survey (UK) Ltd
David Hull | Chief Executive
[email protected]

GEOSIGHT
Brian Gamet | Managing Director
[email protected]

by Dan Levett

Bringing navigation accuracy to tank inspection robots deployed in a harsh environment

A pioneering autonomous robot with a high-performing DVL is revolutionizing fuel tank inspection – while eliminating potential operational hazards.

Nortek’s Doppler Velocity Logs (DVLs) are already established as industry-leading instruments for velocity calculations in subsea applications. But pioneering Boston-based company Square Robot has now successfully deployed them in a very different and challenging environment.

Square Robot is helping to change the face of the oil and gas industry through its development of an innovative robot that can provide detailed assessments of the conditions in above-ground petroleum storage tanks.

Using the robot eliminates the need to empty the tanks of liquid so that humans can enter to carry out detailed inspections – a costly, time-consuming and potentially hazardous procedure still used in most tank assessments.

Founded in 2016, the company took just two years to design and build a highly robust autonomous robot certified to operate in these hazardous environments. Five versions of the robot are now being deployed by leading firms in the US petrochemical storage sector.

Robust autonomous robot for fuel storage tank inspections

The “Square Robot”, from which the company takes its name, is essentially a highly robust, autonomous robot laden with sensors, able to fit through the 24-inch “manway”, the standard-size portal fitted to the top of storage tanks.

The Nortek DVL1000 leads the way as the inspection vehicle enters a tank. The DVL operates to a high degree of accuracy in the harsh environment inside.

The robot is then able to navigate through the liquid-filled tank – typically gasoline or diesel – to detect damage such as corrosion on the tank floor. The tanks, a familiar sight for many, are typically 10–30 m tall and 15–80 m in diameter.

“The robot essentially performs a floor inspection of the tank that would otherwise have to be done by a human,” says Amy Underwood, Senior Roboticist at Square Robot.

“During a traditional out-of-service inspection, the tank is emptied, cleaned to make it safe for entry, then inspected by personnel. All of this downtime means a significant loss of revenue for the tank owner. Our robot gets rid of all that – your tank is still in service and full of product,” she says.

Roboticist Amy Underwood lowers the Square Robot through a 24-inch manway into a petrochemicals-filled storage tank.

The vehicle is innovative in that it carries out tests in a way that won’t damage the tank – so-called non-destructive testing (NDT) – using technologies such as ultrasonic testing (UT), which can characterize the thickness and internal structure of a surface using high-frequency sound waves. Additionally, the robot is capable of hovering, unlike “crawler” robots sometimes used for basic inspections.

Highly accurate velocity measurement for precise positioning of robot

But in order to precisely examine and map areas of concern, the robot needs to know exactly where it is in the tank. That requires highly accurate velocity measurement to aid navigation in a critical way – neither of which is straightforward in an enclosed tank full of liquid product.

The Square Robot vehicle with the four-transducer Nortek DVL1000 mounted at the extreme left. The vehicle deploys ultrasonic testing, HD cameras and other non-destructive methods to assess tank wear and tear; the assessment depends on the DVL for pinpoint positioning.

To solve the problem, the company looked to its roots in the subsea industry. Square Robot’s founders and several other team members previously worked at a leading AUV developer and have had long careers in the subsea industry. So, they already knew what worked well for velocity measurement in the ocean and wondered whether it could be made to work in the harsh environment of a storage tank.

“We needed high navigational accuracy, and knew DVLs could provide this from our background in subsea,” says Underwood.

DVLs use the Doppler effect to calculate velocity by measuring the shift in wavelength between acoustic pulses transmitted to and reflected back from particles in a liquid or a surface such as a seabed.

The team were familiar with Nortek’s Doppler velocity logs, which had a reputation for being highly accurate, reliable and straightforward to use for underwater navigation, as well as offering the compact form needed to fit into the restricted space of the robot.

Crucially, Nortek’s 1 MHz DVL1000, the instrument Square Robot decided on, could operate accurately at a distance of only around 20 cm from a given surface – often the seabed, but in this case the tank floor. That is closer to the floor than many other DVLs on the market are capable of operating accurately, and a prerequisite for the inspection vehicle to do its job properly.

The fact that this DVL performs so well in such a difficult environment can be attributed to Nortek’s proprietary bottom-tracking algorithm.

Testing the Square Robot vehicle in a test tank filled with water. The DVL1000, seen on the right, is mounted so it can work unobstructed, while maintaining a minimum distance from the floor.

A DVL operating accurately at even smaller distances from the floor
While the Nortek DVL already works closer to a surface than many other instruments on the market, Square Robot is looking forward to technological advances now being rolled out by Nortek, which will enable it to operate accurately at even smaller distances from the floor.

Meanwhile, Square Robot is seeking to expand its operations both in the US market, where it currently operates, and internationally. The robot is currently deployed through Square Robot’s subsidiary inspection services company Veritank.

The company’s five models of the robot have differing, customizable payloads, which could be adapted for a number of uses, including subsea inspection and in the shipping industry.

“We’re focused on tank inspections right now, but we’re looking at alternatives and we’re always open-minded. Our goal is to be the best in whatever space we’re in,” says Underwood.

The successful use of the DVL in this novel environment is further evidence of the accuracy, reliability and versatility of one of Nortek’s most popular and recognized technologies.

 

by Dan Levett

Fugro innovation delivers seabed Geo-data for South African port expansion

The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) has launched a virtual introductory course on offshore site investigation and geotechnical engineering in the offshore environment. This is the online equivalent of the face-to-face course successfully run by the Society’s Offshore Site Investigation Group (OSIG) for a number of years. The online course is spread over four half days for two weeks (Tuesday and Thursday mornings) on 16, 18, 23 and 25 November.

Aimed at non-specialists, it aims to provide a broad overview of the offshore market, and how the data acquired is applied to maximise the value of offshore projects in both the offshore oil and gas and offshore renewable energy sectors.

The face-to-face course has built a formidable reputation explained Chery Burgess, CEO of the SUT:

“The face-to-face course has been running for 25, or so, years and has attracted well in excess of 500 delegates. We are delighted to add an OSIG course to our virtual offerings which also include our Virtual Subsea Awareness Course and an Introduction to Offshore Wind Energy Course, both of which have attracted delegates from around the world.

“The first two days of the OSIG course have a geophysical theme, and then in week two the attention turns to the geotechnical side of things. We have an impressive list of industry and academic experts covering a wide range of topics, from planning an offshore site investigation through technical and operational aspects of data acquisition and reporting, to the practical use of the data in geohazard assessment and foundation design.

“Our speakers are drawn from Vysus, MCL Consultancy, RPS, Bangor University, RWE, BP, University of Southampton, Gardline, Ørsted, NGI, University of Bristol, Atkins, Subsea 7, and Lloyd’s Register. Our thanks are extended to Francesca Ciavaglia of Lloyd’s Register who has co-ordinated preparation of this course.“

Each half-day session will include a set of oral presentations, followed by small-group practical activities with the scope to reinforce the knowledge and get further insight on the topics presented. Small-group activities will also provide an opportunity to discuss with experts in the field, while creating an engaging and interactive environment. Alongside knowledge sharing, the course provides an excellent opportunity to network within the offshore industry.

The course fee is £300 for SUT members and £395 for non-members. (excluding VAT where chargeable). Information on the CPD approved course is at https://www.sut.org/event/an-introduction-to-offshore-geophysics-and-geotechnical-engineering-3/. SUT individual membership is £76 per year. To join, visit www.sut.org or e-mail [email protected].

by Dan Levett

Kraken Awarded Robotics as a Service (RaaS) Contract from Government of Canada

Kraken Robotics Inc. (TSX-V: PNG, OTCQB: KRKNF), Canada’s Ocean Company™, is pleased to announce that it has signed a Robotics as a Service (RaaS) contract with the Canadian government for testing of Kraken’s ultra-high resolution survey equipment with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN). This $0.5 million contract is funded under the Canadian government’s Innovative Solutions Canada program, and the testing department for this service offering is the RCN’s Fleet Diving Unit Atlantic (FDU-A) based in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The RCN has a mandate to develop and maintain an advanced sonar imaging and data storage capability for all three coasts, and to deploy this capability to national and international areas of interest. Under the contract, Kraken will deploy its KATFISH™ towed SAS sonar system and will integrate a Kraken Light Weight SAS (LW-SAS) onboard a REMUS 100 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) owned by FDU-A. This contract will be completed by March 31, 2022.

Augmenting the RCN’s Current Capabilities

This contract will provide the RCN FDU-A access to cutting edge technology and high-resolution seabed data. FDU-A uses a number of different seabed imaging sonar solutions for their various mission requirements, including Towed Sonars Systems (typically deployed from a Kingston-class MCDV vessel, with a crew of 40 persons), and Light Weight Sonar Systems (typically deployed from REMUS-class AUVs). Kraken’s RaaS service can augment FDU-A’s existing capabilities, by providing them with significantly better data, at a much lower cost, and leveraging continuously improving capabilities.

The contract involves testing the Kraken RaaS capability in two configurations:

Towed KATFISH™ Synthetic Aperture Sonar (SAS) system, deployed on a Surface Vessel of Opportunity (the R/V Ocean Seeker). This could also be tested onboard an RCN Asset (such as the Kingston-class MCDV). One purpose of the test is to show that in combination with RaaS, vessels of opportunity can also be used at a lower cost and higher availability to augment the RCN’s capabilities.
Untethered Light Weight SAS system, deployed on an RCN Underwater Vessel of Opportunity (REMUS 100 AUV), and tested with the KATFISH™ system above. A purpose of this test is to show that RaaS can be quickly added to existing RCN assets, to augment their capabilities.
Benefits to the Navies

Kraken believes its RaaS offering could provide significant benefits to other navies around the world. With Kraken RaaS, navies can access cutting edge technology “as needed”, without concern for equipment obsolescence, life cycle costs, or operator skill fade. As it relates specifically to the RCN, Kraken RaaS offers many advantages:

Both RCN operating bases, MARLANT (Maritime Forces Atlantic) and MARPAC (Maritime Forces Pacific) are mandated to maintain Q-routes (safe passage lanes along the coasts and into designated harbors, of Canadian waters) on an annual basis. These surveys take a significant amount of time with current RCN technology due to image quality and speed of current towed bodies. Kraken’s technology would greatly enhance the image quality and reduce the time of the surveys significantly due to the advance in state-of-the-art technology.
Kraken’s technology can be deployed to assist the RCN in mapping areas of interest ahead of regular exercises and operations, with the image quality required to enable change detection and optimize revisit rates. This has the potential to provide the RCN with a competitive edge for detecting bottom objects in complex seabeds.
Kraken’s technology and service application can augment route survey activities while simultaneously supporting near shore hydrographic mapping and charting requirements on an annual basis with high-definition resolution, freeing up valuable Navy assets for other mission critical functions
CEO Comments

Commenting on this contract, Karl Kenny, Kraken President and CEO noted, “Kraken is excited to be able to offer RaaS to the RCN as an “Early Adopter” to augment existing RCN Route Survey with a Service offering based on the latest SAS technology available. Kraken seeks to offer our Robotics as a Service globally, in particular to other NATO allies, and this contract for the RCN’s evaluation will serve as an excellent reference. The RCN’s objective comparison of the data from our RaaS offering against legacy sonar data will provide demonstrative evidence of the superior image resolution and accuracy of Kraken survey data.”

by Dan Levett

iXblue launches new ROTV to enhance autonomous survey scope

Southampton (U.K.) – 12/10/2021 – iXblue, a global leader in the field of maritime autonomy, announces the launch of its first Remotely Operated Towed Vehicle (ROTV): FlipiX. Designed to be operated autonomously from iXblue DriX Uncrewed Surface Vehicle (USV) or from a light vessel, FlipiX enhances autonomous survey capabilities and allows to conduct multi-sensor operations in a single run, ultimately offering unmatched operational efficiency.

Leveraging advanced motion control and a reduced operational footprint, FlipiX is a unique conveyance platform for Side Scan Sonars (SSS) and magnetometers. Operating at towing speeds up to 7 knots, the FlipiX ROTV altitude, pitch and roll are autonomously controlled to maintain measuring instruments at a fixed altitude and constant attitude. This active motion control bestows the ROTV with increased stability and maneuverability, even during U-turns, resulting in enhanced measurement quality in the most challenging maritime environments and in reduced survey time.

When combined with the DriX USV, FlipiX can operate down to 50 meters water depths in its standard version and provides optimal positioning of measurement instruments for a data acquisition as close to the seabed as needed.

“As a key actor of the maritime industry and a pioneer in the field of autonomy, iXblue has the ambition to support the industry in its transition towards autonomous operations, and FlipiX does just that.” Stéphane Vannuffelen, Marine Autonomy Technical Director at iXblue comments. “Leveraging our unique expertise in navigation, robotics and shipbuilding, and benefitting from our extensive return on experience deploying our DriX USV on major projects for energy companies and hydrographic institute worldwide, we are committed to offer operators with a more comprehensive ecosystem for autonomous surveying. We’re convinced that our FlipiX ROTV combined with our DriX USV will bring high efficiency and cost-effectiveness to the industry. It has already gathered a strong interest from major actors from the industry confirming the strong relevance of our new autonomous solution.”

Download Media Kit HERE

Media Contacts
Marion Seyve
Communication & Marketing Manager
+33 1 30 08 88 88
[email protected]

About iXblue
iXblue is a global high-tech company specializing in the design and manufacturing of advanced marine, autonomy and photonics technologies. Leveraging cutting-edge expertise in the fields of shipbuilding and robotics, iXblue designs autonomous maritime platforms that are increasingly efficient, economical and environmentally friendly. With complete control over its value chain thanks to the vertical integration of its technologies, iXblue also develops innovative systems and solutions for inertial navigation, subsea positioning and subsea imagery. As a leader in its field, iXblue actively participates in consortiums aiming to rethink the future of the maritime industry and to create an industry of excellence for maritime autonomy. www.ixblue.com

by Dan Levett

Kongsberg Maritime launches Blue Insight, a powerful digital toolbox for ocean data management and analysis

Kongsberg Maritime (KM) is delighted to announce the launch of Blue Insight, a powerful, cloud-based digital toolbox to enable state-of-the-art collection, visualisation, contextualisation, management and distribution of ocean data. Focusing on marine and meteorological information, the Blue Insight ecosystem is of key value to both scientific and industrial users of the maritime environment. Blue Insight provides an open, modular platform for the processing, visualisation and sharing of ocean data. The core module contains the cloud framework – which has been built to the highest cyber security standards – and an application-specific dashboard, teamed with data storage and management functionalities. Additional modules can be added to this framework to tailor Blue Insight’s functionality to suit all projects, however large or small.

Key to Blue Insight’s data-streaming functionality is the concept of sensor fusion, by which data is streamlined from various onboard sensors and a local database for seamless transmission into the cloud. In addition, the module serves as a link with KM onboard sensors for remote operation. Data can be collected from any platform, ranging from crewed to autonomous surface vessels or even underwater vehicles such as AUVs or gliders. Through ongoing delivery projects, several modules already exist to assist customers in obtaining the best results from Blue Insight, including Remote, a module that enables remote access to a KM.

Press Release

WORLD CLASS - through people, technology and dedication echosounder via a web interface; Ocean View, a powerful and comprehensive web-based visualisation tool for historic and real-time sensor or database data; and Data Forwarder, enabling data conversion into any common format and automated data forwarding to external cloud systems or databases. Science Analytics supplies an infrastructure for more in-depth data-handling capabilities, such as the implementation of machine learning and AI-enhanced data analysis on board or in the cloud. As an example, one of the first delivery projects has seen the module providing a framework on unmanned surface vehicles for the automated onboard classification of fish. The portfolio of modules and support for specific instruments will be continuously expanded, consistent with KM’s aim to provide customers with unprecedently swift access to data, even in heterogenous environments.

One of the first projects to take advantage of the functionality provided by Blue Insight is a collaboration between KM and Akvaplan-niva, gathering meteorological, oceanographic, biological and chemical data from unmanned autonomous glider vehicles. The project has been under way for several years, but recent funding from the oil & gas company ConocoPhillips Norway has focused efforts towards understanding the impact of offshore oil & gas facilities on selected marine species in the North Sea.

The project is continuing to evolve the glider concept into an operational system for research and industry while advancing the digital environment to introduce new, cutting edge management and analysis features. "Blue Insight has been an invaluable aid for managing the vast amount of data we collect at sea with our fleet of gliders, often for months at a time,” says Lionel Camus, Manager for Digital Solutions at Akvaplan-niva.

“This innovative digital toolbox has enabled Akvaplan-niva to deliver professional solutions and to share an unprecedented common experience via the cloud with our customers during each survey." “We’re very excited to be able to bring Blue Insight to market,” adds Tonny Algrøy, Sales Director Ocean Science, Kongsberg Maritime. “Our primary focus in developing this powerful, cloud-based framework for data collection, sharing and analysis has been to increase our knowledge of the ocean environment and act as a digital enabler for sustainability. It’s great to see that vision now becoming a reality. Collaborations such as the glider project with Akvaplan-niva and ConocoPhillips demonstrate how research institutions and industry can work together to benefit from contextualised data, furthering the joint aims of conservation bodies and global business operations.”

by Dan Levett

Valeport launches new marine sensing and monitoring instruments at Ocean Business

• new Bathy2 – an enhanced, robust integrated instrument to provide reliable and accurate density corrected depth data up to 6000m
• new miniIPS2 and uvSVX – with unique interchangeable pressure heads, these next-gen sensors benefit users who work at different depths
• new SWiFT CTD and SWiFT CTDplus – designed for a seamless workflow, these user-friendly profilers deliver improved accuracy and versatility to those requiring CTD measurements

Ocean Business 21 was the launch venue for Valeport’s new Bathy2, an exciting evolution in the collection of bathymetric data, which will be shown for the first time ahead of its formal release in Q1/Q2 2022.  Also making their debut on the manufacturer of environmental sensors stand, are four innovative instruments designed with ease of use at their core, where a much improved user experience is now available alongside the highest quality, precise data.

Bathy2 – on show for the first time ever, this new integrated sensor suite is designed to meet customer bathymetric requirements for a reliable, accurate and robust instrument with more functionality to suit specific operations up to 6000m in depth.

An enhancement of the popular Midas BathyPack, the new Bathy2 uses state-of-the art sensors to generate  Sound Velocity and Density profiles for precision depth and height data.

This evolution brings together the benefits of density corrected output directly from one instrument, alongside the flexibility of third party pressure sensor input and Valeport interchangeable pressure modules to allow users enhanced accuracy at different depths.

Improving the user experience has been a key driver in the development of this superior bathymetric instrument and the addition of a dedicated data output for INS allows bathymetric data to be efficiently communicated directly with users’ own operational software.   Other helpful benefits include the flexible pressure options using Valeport’s interchangeable pressure sensors, these field-swappable sensor heads make it easy for users to select the correct pressure for their working depth bringing benefits of exceptional reliability and a higher degree of accuracy.

Designed for surveyors requiring bathymetric data from ROVs, underwater vehicles or drop structures, Bathy2 also has an external pressure sensor input option for Digiquartz referencing.  This comprehensive bathymetric package offers other useful parameters such as Altitude and Bathy2 interfaces with the Valeport VA500 altimeter and other popular third party makes.

Data transfer is via Ethernet or RS232/RS485 interfaces and the Bathy2 Interpreter function via the Valeport Configure software allows data out on extra ports in industry standard formats, this facility also allows for an atmospheric pressure data input.

miniIPS2 - The smart miniIPS2 underwater pressure sensor with accuracy to 0.01%, offers a cost-effective solution to vehicle pilots who require highly accurate depth information in real time.

This innovative pressure sensor, with a unique interchangeable pressure module, allows the user to quickly and easily change the pressure transducers whilst in the field, with no tools required, to maximise operational specific depth requirements.

uvSVX - The compact uvSVX is designed for underwater vehicles where space is at a premium and it  delivers calculated salinity and density data, along with SVP as standard. Like the miniIPS2 it also features field-swappable sensor heads, has a depth rating of 6000m and delivers 0.01% accuracy.  The interchangeable pressure transducer, with integral calibration is easily changed in a couple of minutes without opening the instrument and is available in 10, 20, 30, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400 and 600bar variants.

SWiFT CTD and SWiFT CTDplus – the latest addition to Valeport’s popular SWiFT profiler family, the SWiFT CTD profiler provides enhanced accuracy and versatility for those requiring CTD measurements. The SWiFT CTD profiler delivers survey-grade sensor technology coupled with the convenience of Bluetooth® wireless technology, rechargeable battery and an integral GPS module to geo-locate each profile.

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Using Valeport’s high accuracy sensor technology to combine sensors for multiple profiles in a single drop, the SWiFT CTD features a new fast response temperature probe and operates down to 500m as standard. With an operational battery life of up to five days and the convenience of charge via USB, the SWiFT CTD is intended for offshore, coastal, harbour and inland environmental and hydrographic survey use.

A CTDplus version is currently available with Turbidity at present and combines CTD measurements and Turbidity observations, in addition to providing computed Salinity, Density and Sound Velocity.

Guy Frankland, Valeport Head of Marketing commented: “Ocean Business is a great platform to introduce our newest developments and product upgrades prior to their general release. We’re particularly looking forward to seeking feedback on our Bathy2 instrument and its capacity to offer an increased survey grade performance, as well as getting Valeport’s unique range of interchangeable pressure sensors into the hands of potential users so they can get a real sense of the streamlining benefits they bring.”

Contact: Valeport  www.valeport.co.uk               Email: [email protected]

by Dan Levett