FarSounder has been issued its eighth U.S. patent, Patent No. 11,609,316, for its unique sonar system and 3D processing. The system includes a forward-looking sonar device that integrates with other sonar devices to provide boaters with a reliable navigation tool. Electronics process data from down- and side-scan sonar to create a broad display on board.
Marine robotics software company Greensea IQ has partnered with BUVI Scandinavia to expand its international sales team. This follows the recent signing of Spanish sales representative Uniformidad Y Suminstros De Proteccion (USP). The new business relationship will represent Greensea IQ and its Bayonet autonomous underwater vehicle (AUGV). Founded in 2011, BUVI Scandinavia provides consulting, training and support for subsea solutions and technologies. USP has 40 years of experience specializing in providing superior solutions for police and military needs.
Venterra Group is expanding its marine hard-bottom benthic and hard-structure offerings with support from marine science consultancy INSPIRE Environmental and seafloor imaging company Marine Imaging Technologies. The expanded service aims to monitor marine growth on introduced hard surfaces and native hard bottoms to assess the impacts of offshore wind project developments. It will also support nature-based scour and cable protection designs, climate adaptation projects and the collection of high-resolution 3D videos for science education and communication.
Malaysian offshore services company Sapura Energy has been awarded a five-year contract to provide subsea services to Shell’s Malaysian units Sarawak Shell Bhd and Sabah Shell Petroleum Bhd. The contract, which includes diving support vessels, air and saturation diving systems and remotely operated vehicles, will cover subsea inspections, repairs, maintenance, scrapping and decommissioning.
Marine seismic data company PGS has secured a 4D contract in Northern Europe for an independent energy company. Ramform Tethys will conduct an operational investigation in late April, with a total duration of 30 days. The contract is worth US$10 million or more and lasts for 2 months. PGS President and CEO Rune Olav Pedersen expressed satisfaction with the contract award.
New research from CSIRO and the University of Toronto has found up to 11 million tonnes of plastic pollution on the seafloor. With plastic use expected to double by 2040, understanding how and where plastic is spread is critical to protecting marine ecosystems and wildlife. The seafloor has become the repository for most plastic pollution, with an estimated 3 to 11 million tons of plastic sinking to the bottom of the ocean. The study used data from remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and seafloor trawls to estimate the amount and distribution of plastic on the ocean floor. Research also shows that plastic mass clusters around continents, with about half of the world's seafloor plastic mass estimated to be located above 200 meters.