Valeport sensor technology has been selected by Ocean Infinity to provide sound velocity and bathymetric data for their pioneering Armada Fleet, the world’s most environmentally sustainable fleet of ocean-going, robotic vessels.

The Armada Fleet, capable of remotely operated uncrewed operations, is widely recognised as breaking new ground in the remote and autonomous seabed data industry. Integrating a suite of Valeport’s highly accurate sensors and profilers to a selection of the fleet’s uncrewed vessels, will provide important data to support operations for Ocean Infinity.

Valeport’s miniSVS will be mounted on the vessels beside the multi-beam echosounder in the sensor gondola, to provide surface Sound Velocity correction. Through the water column, the Midas SVX2, powered by the vessel, will deliver the Sound Velocity data of an SVP with the Salinity and Density data from a CTD. The Midas SVX2 has also been combined with the VA500 altimeter to provide range data for the vessels. Selected to interface with the Edge Tech side scan sonar and Saab Seaeye Leopard ROVs, the Valeport uvSVX will be integrated onto the vessels to deliver Sound Velocity, Temperature and Salinity combined with range data from the VA500 altimeter and precision depth from the miniIPS2.

The compact and robust instruments will be fitted across a selection of six vessels in the fleet including the 21m and 36m vessels, to assist their offshore data acquisition and ROV work in both shallow and deepwater operations.

Ocean Infinity selected Valeport for the Armada Fleet on the back of their previous experience using the leading hydrographic and oceanographic instrument manufacturer’s sensors and profilers. Valeport has already delivered the first instalment of instruments to Ocean Infinity’s facility in Southampton UK and further deliveries will be made throughout 2021 and 2022.

The robotic vessels in Ocean Infinity’s Armada Fleet use low emission technology, with an Armada robotic vessel emitting 90% less CO2 than a conventional survey vessel.

“The Armada Fleet is an exciting demonstration of uncrewed, and sustainable, seafaring technology and we are very proud that Valeport technology is involved in this innovative project.

“These exceptionally efficient vessels undoubtedly will play an important role in the future of data acquisition and maritime activity, and the stable, high accuracy data performance from our instruments can play its part in helping to underpin this”, commented Kevin Edwards, Head of Sales at Valeport.

“Working with Ocean Infinity engineers is an interesting project and we are pleased to offer them the solution required”, concluded Kevin.

The Armada Fleet will serve a wide range of industries by being fully equipped to perform a multiplicity of offshore data acquisition and intervention operations down to a depth of 6,000 meters. Expected to be deployable from 2022, Ocean Infinity will control and operate the Armada Fleet from its onshore facilities in Southampton, UK and Austin, Texas, .

Valeport has supplied the subsea sector for more than 50 years and continues to innovate in the design and manufacture of precision instrumentation for the hydrographic and oceanographic communities.

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