Hydrographic News

South Korea's first domestically built geophysical exploration research vessel was commissioned during a ceremony at Pohang Yeongilman Port on May 31.The 92-meter Tamhae 3 is a fully state-funded research vessel owned by the Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources (KIGAM). The KRW 181 billion (US$132 million) newbuild replaces its 1996-built predecessor, Tamhae 2, for geophysical explorations in domestic and foreign waters, starting with Korea’s continental shelves…

Arctia Meritaito, a subsidiary of Finland's Arctia, announced it has been awarded a contract by the Norwegian Mapping Authority to perform hydrographic seabed surveying as part of the 2024 Mareano program.Under its contract from the Norwegian Mapping Authority's Hydrographic Service (NHS), Arctia Meritaito will survey approximately 1,900 square kilometers with multibeam echosounder and sub bottom profiler in potential offshore wind area Sørvest F in the North Sea.The surveys will be conducted by the multipurpose research vessel Pohjanmeri.

Between January 2023 and February 2024, TDI-Brooks conducted an extensive site investigation program in two offshore wind blocks in state and federal waters. The projects involved surveying in excess of 20,000 line-kms of analogue and either single or multi-channel seismic in lease blocks and cable routes along the coasts of New York and New Jersey. Various tasks were carried out at different stages, such as offshore geophysical surveys, UHRS detailed surveys, archaeological identification surveys…

TDI-Brooks' newest vessel R/V Nautilus (formerly known as Nautical Geo) is ready to go to work following a 6-month retrofit period in Las Palmas.The DP2 vessel is currently enroute to the U.S. East Coast to provide support for offshore wind operations. It is expected to be fully prepared for the first offshore wind program by early March.Built in 2000, the 75-meter-long vessel is equipped with the newly-acquired Geomiil Manta-200 CPT, which can be deployed through the mid-ship moonpool.

Italian shipbuilding group Fincantieri held a steel cutting ceremony to mark the start of construction on a new Hydro-Oceanographic Ship (N.I.O.M.) for the Italian Navy.Scheduled for delivery from the integrated shipyard in Riva Trigoso-Muggiano in 2026, the new vessel is intended for mapping and scientific monitoring activities, as well as in support of the initiatives of the Hydrographic Institute, took place today at the Riva Trigoso shipyard.The ship will feature technologies to contain emissions…

Naval architecture and marine engineering firm Glosten and Siemens Energy have selected Ballard Power Systems and Chart Industries as primary equipment vendors for their design of what will be the first hydrogen-hybrid research vessel in the world. The vessel, nominally known as the CCRV, is currently in the design phase and will be owned and operated by UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography (Scripps). Ballard Power Systems will provide the fuel cells which will help power the vessel…

In a first for UK ports, the Port of London Authority (PLA) and University College of London (UCL) have launched a fully electric, remotely operated survey vessel.It will support a MSc Hydrographic Surveying course they have run in partnership since 1999.The state-of-the-art platform, manufactured by Maritime Robotics, was acquired by the partners, following a successful bid and award of an £263,000 grant from the Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).The vessel features the most advanced sonar and scanning system from technology manufacturer NORBIT, called a WINGHEAD.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Mobile District and Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway Development Authority held a ceremony to officially welcome a new survey vessel to its fleet in Columbus, Miss., April 28, 2023.The Miss Agnes, built by Theodore, Ala. based Silver Ships, is a custom 26-foot multibeam and single beam capable marine survey vessel that features an enclosed center console, a three-monitor survey station, and an air conditioner unit that is paired with a generator.

The OSIL Vibrocorer has been in use on the early works for the River Thames Scheme, a £600 million project to develop two new flood channel sections for the River Thames.The River Thames Scheme aims to reduce the risk of flooding for approximately 15,000 homes and businesses along the River Thames involving a series of measures, including new flood walls and embankments, improvements to existing flood defenses, and flood storage areas and diversion channels to temporarily hold…

A Spanish Navy ship tasked with updating nautical charts to make navigation safer got stranded on Thursday near the island of Ibiza in the Mediterranean, the Navy said.The vessel Malaspina was exploring an area of shallows to the west of the island and got stuck on one of them. Rescue teams have been sent to help remove the vessel from the ground, the Navy said in a statement."After an initial inspection... no structural damage can be seen," it said.

Boatbuilder SAFE Boats International on Monday introduced Merlin, a new 23-meter semi-displacement monohull autonomous hydrographic survey vessel design developed in collaboration with Mythos AI, Echo81, and World Marine Design.SAFE Boats has exclusive rights to build the design at its Tacoma, Wash. large-craft production facility. Merlin will be a Jones Act-compliant all-aluminum hull powered by a twin Volvo Penta D13 Hybrid-ready System with IPS. For a zero-emission power package, the Merlin can accommodate forward-thinking hydrogen technology supplied by Zero Emission Industries (ZEI).

Belgium-based offshore survey services provider GEOxyz announced it has opened its first office in the United States, located in New Brunswick, N.J., as it expands to serve the offshore wind energy industry on the U.S. East Coast"The renewable energy industry in the U.S. is an important market in full expansion and we are thrilled to establish a presence here," said Patrick Reyntjens, CEO of GEOxyz. "We have extensive experience in offshore surveying and we are eager to provide…

Bellingham, Wash. shipbuilder All American Marine (AAM) announced it has delivered a new research and hydrographic survey vessel for NV5-Geodynamics. The vessel was sea-trialed on Bellingham Bay, prior to shipping via cargo ship to its homeport of Beaufort, N.C.Built to service the growing offshore wind market as well as accomplish many other scientific survey missions, Shackleford is a 73- by 26.7-foot semi-displacement aluminum catamaran developed by Nic de Waal of Teknicraft Design in Auckland, New Zealand.

U.S.-based marine services company TDI-Brooks announced it was awarded geophysical, geotechnical and benthic sampling survey campaigns to study seabed conditions within the project lease area and potential export cable corridors for offshore wind farms off the U.S. East Coast. TDI-Brooks said it expects to begin the program in April and will continue through summer 2023 with two to three vessels in operations. The data collected will help determine safe and responsible project design and engineering along with identifying potential geohazards and benthic habitats.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has awarded Fugro two mapping projects on the US Gulf Coast to monitor and quantify shoreline change in this flood-prone region.The projects, located in Texas and Louisiana, are underway and were awarded under an existing indefinite delivery indefinite quality (IDIQ) contract to support the agency’s Coastal Mapping Program. Geo-data deliverables are scheduled for Q3 2023 and will be integrated into the national shoreline dataset…

The UK Hydrographic Office (UKHO) confirmed the appointment of Marion Leslie as Non-Executive Chair. Leslie will chair the UKHO Board in this independent position after a year as interim Non-Executive Chair and six years as a Non-Executive Director at the UKHO.The Board supports, challenges and validates the UKHO business strategy and oversees the organization's performance. Leslie leads the Board as Chair, acting in the interests of the Ministry of Defense and key stakeholders…

Alabama shipbuilder Silver Ships announced it has delivered a new marine surveying vessel for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Venice Sub Office in Venice, La. The 49-foot Tobin is the latest expansion in Silver Ships’ Endeavor series of workboats and is the largest marine surveying vessel of its series.Custom designed for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to hydrographically map the mouth of the Mississippi River, the mission-specific vessel will allow researchers to accurately and effectively obtain and document data on the rapidly changing waters in the Mississippi River.

Ireland's new research vessel, the RV Tom Crean, has arrived in Irish waters and is currently docked in the Port of Galway before embarking on its first survey towards the end of July and then making its way to Dingle in advance of its official commissioning due to take place in Autumn 2022. The vessel has been named the RV Tom Crean after the renowned seaman and explorer from Kerry, who undertook three ground-breaking expeditions to the Antarctic in the early years of the 20th Century.The RV Tom Crean…

Marine data acquisition services company TDI-Brooks announced it has named Rich Hendren Ph.D. to its executive leadership team as Vice President of Operations Integrity and Quality DevelopmentHendren retired from the U.S. Navy after over 30 years of service in submarines, submarine support and shore installation management. Transitioning to civilian life, he gained additional management experience in the professional training, maritime, petroleum and hydrographic survey industries where he built a history of leading teams to success in complex operations often in challenging environments.

The shared capacity, indefinite delivery contract will support USACE Civil Works projects to help advance navigation safety, dredging, flood control and hurricane response.The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Galveston District awarded eTrac, a Woolpert Company, with an architect-engineer contract to provide hydrographic surveying and mapping services within the Galveston District and potentially the USACE Southwest Division. The five-year, Multiple Award Task Order Contract has a total shared capacity of $13 million.

Houma, La. shipbuilder Thoma-Sea Marine Constructors hosted a keel-laying ceremony for NOAA’s newest oceanographic research ship, Oceanographer.“Today’s keel-laying ceremony marks a major step forward both in the construction of Oceanographer and the revitalization of NOAA’s ship fleet,” said Rear Adm. Nancy Hann, director of NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations (OMAO) and the NOAA Commissioned Officer Corps.Oceanographer is one of two ships being built for NOAA by TMC to support a variety of missions…

Specialty construction firm J.F. Brennan Company announced it has acquired California-based Harbor Offshore, Inc (HOI), a specialist in commercial diving, marine construction, maritime security barriers and submarine cable installation.The acquisition bring submarine cabling and maritime security barrier expertise to Brennan, and it expands Brennan's operations geographically, the company said. With the addition of licensing along the West Coast, Hawaii, and Alaska, Brennan is now operable in all 50 states."This acquisition opens new geographies…

Aramco’s hydrographic survey vessel, KARAN 8, has become the first in the Middle East region and second worldwide to be awarded an ABS Infectious Disease Mitigation (IDM) notation.ABS' IDM-A notation is offered to vessels that meet the arrangement requirements addressing the configuration of spaces that can be used for the isolation and segregation of crew, passengers, and onshore visitors, as well as the ventilation onboard and the interior surfaces of certain accommodation or…