9 minute read
Subsea discovery
RARE SUBSEA BRINE POOLS DISCOVERED
Scientists have found deep-sea brine pools in the Red Sea that could hold clues about the formation of the world’s oceans millions of years ago
The pools were discovered just before a 10-hour ROV dive came to an end, the team from the University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science said. The researchers led by Chief Scientist, Sam Purkis, who joined the mission on behalf of the Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation, as well as the university.
The work was carried out on board the research ship OceanXplorer, which was launched in February 2020 by owner billionaire hedgefund owner Ray Dalio, co-founder of the Dalio Philanthropies group, which supports a range of projects in many fields, including ocean exploration.
The boat build was completed by Damen, who converted it from a deep-sea survey vessel into the research vessel it is today, with wet and dry labs, a helideck and submersibles to carry out subsea investigations.
By deploying the ROV, which was tethered to OceanXplorer by a cable about a mile and a half in length, the team found the pools in the Gulf of Aqaba, a northern extension to the Red Sea between Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Despite their salinity, brine pools, or the areas around them, teem with life, the researchers say - noticing thanks to the lights and camera on the ROV how shrimps feed on organisms that land on the pools, snatching them before they sink. ”Brine pools are one of the most extreme environments on Earth, yet despite their high salinity, exotic chemistry, and complete lack of oxygen, these pools are teeming with life,” the scientists say. ”Bioactive molecules with potential anticancer properties have previously been isolated from brine pool microbes in the Red Sea. ”Located close to the coastline, these extremely salty, zero oxygen pools preserve information on tsunami, flash floods, and earthquakes in the Gulf of Aqaba that took place thousands of years ago. There are many faults and fractures in the seabed associated with the tectonics of the region in this area of the Gulf of Aqaba.” The open aft deck design of the ship made it possible to fit a 40-ton A-frame crane to it, which deploys and retrieves the vessel’s two Triton submersible ROVs, which each have a diving depth of 1,000 metres. The AUV goes much deeper - down to 6,000 feet. Both the ship’s helicopter and fleet of submersibles are capable of recording 8K RED footage and provide live-streaming footage that can be shared directly.
8 Deep-sea brine
pool in the Red Sea, photographed by an ROV tethered to OceanXplorer Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation Inset: OceanXplorer aft view post rebuild by Damen
Project launched to protect seagrass
A project to protect 700 hectares of seagrass has been launched off the southwest coast of England.
‘Blue Meadows’ is being launched by the Ocean Conservation Trust, a global conservation charity, which says seagrass meadows provide nurseries for important fish species and santuary for up to 80,000 fish per hectare.
As well as absorbing carbon dioxide, seagrass also reduces the impact of coastal erosion by stabilising sediment on the seabed.
“They are up to 35 times more efficient at absorbing carbon than rainforests of the same area and despite only covering 0.2% of the sea floor, seagrasses store 10% of the ocean’s carbon,” the Trust says.
The scheme will identify areas where the meadows grow, and protect them by installing buoys and providing alternative anchoring options to boats. Rather than restricting the passage of leisure and commercial boats, it will help skippers to minimise how much they disturb the meadows by being able to avoid them. ”Since the 1930s, up to 90% of Zostera marina seagrass beds have been lost, and despite the importance of these habitats, they are still in decline,” said Mark Parry, Development Officer for the Ocean Conservation Trust.
JFD COMPLETES THREE SUBMARINE EXERCISES
Three submarine rescue exercises were carried out in the first quarter of 2022, JFD has said
James Fisher has supported three international submarine exercises in the first quarter of this year, the company has revealed. One of the exercises took place in Australia, the other two in the UK.
“It has been an exciting and operationally busy start to the year for JFD, with three consecutive submarine exercises taking place across the world,” said Ben Wright, Head of Capability, Submarine Escape and Rescue.
“Not only that, but JFD achieved some significant operational milestones for our customers, including beating timed mobilisation targets in Australia.”
In February, JFD’s third Deep Search and Rescue Vehicle (DSRV) was trialled with a dock dip in Glasgow, harbour acceptance trials in Fort William, Scotland, and factory acceptance tests.
In March, a teacm of submarine rescue operators carried out a seaborne operational training exercise in Australia on board Mothership MV Stoker.
In this exercise, rescue assets mobilised included an ROV system, LR5 SRV certification drive and hyperbaric training with Royal Australian Navy Medics.
“The mobilisation time was achieved in 57 hours, this compared with the standard 72 hours is a significant achievement and testament to the experience and dedication of the JFD team,” said the firm.
At the end of March, the full NATO Submarine Rescue System was deployed by JFD to SD Northern River to undertake exercises off the west coast of Scotland. ”JFD is continually striving to improve global submarine rescue and our practical and global experience, reinforced through regular exercises, enables us to lead the way within this specialist and critical area,” says JFD, whcih provides its submarine rescue systems to 33 navies worldwide. ”In the event of a Distressed Submarine, any delays to a rescue operation can have catastrophic consequences, so it is vital that regular Submarine Rescue System and Submarine Rescue Vehicle exercises take place,” says Wright. ”This enables equipment to be proven and personnel familiarised, giving the best possible chance of an efficient rescue operation should a real-life incident occur.”
8 JFD submarine rescue equipment
World’s biggest lifeboat wins award nomination
Marine safety equipment designer and manufacturer Survitec has been short-listed for an award for its huge inflatable lifeboat.
Seahaven, which holds 1,060 people rescued from a cruise ship in less than 22 minutes, has also been given a certificate of compliance from Lloyd’s Register.
The inflatable lifeboat is deployed at the push of a button and can travel independently for 24 hours at a speed of six knots.
The Safety4Sea Technology Award is presented to ’any organisation that provides a significant technological achievement or significant contribution to maritime safety following the outcome of a combination of open public voting and the decision of a
8 Seahaven, by Survitec
panel of selected industry experts’.
The award winner will be announced on October 19 after the online voting procedure. ”We are delighted Seahaven has been shortlisted for this prestigious award so soon after its official market launch earlier this year,” said Claude Sada, Managing Director, Survival Craft. ”We know that it is essential to continue to push the boundaries and look for new, innovative ways to protect lives at sea and already the industry is recognising the important contribution Seahaven can make to cruise ship safety.”
The Lloyd’s Register certification confirms that the boat is compliant with the IMO’s rules for the evacuation of cruise ship passengers and crew.
“It also offers the cruise industry an alternative to the traditional lifeboat arrangement, leveraging significant revenuegenerating potential,” says Survitec.
VAN AMEYDE SETS UP SHOP IN SINGAPORE
Dutch marine surveying, consultancy and loss prevention group Van Ameyde Marine is expanding operations in Asia to meet growing demand for insurance-related services in the Asia-Pacific region
Van Ameyde is adding a range of services to its current offering, including P&I inspections, condition/suitability and OVID (Offshore Vessel Inspection Database) inspections, hull and machinery work, cargo surveys, loss prevention, marine casualty investigation, expert witness work, newbuild inspections and regulatory-related inspections.
An office has been set up in Singapore and a team of inhouse surveyors and engineers appointed ’in part due to the geographical importance of Singapore across the maritime, offshore and energy markets’, says Van Ameyde Seasia, which is the name of the new branch wholly owned by Van Ameyde Marine.
“Most P&I Clubs and marine insurance companies now have a presence in Singapore and this investment brings us closer to our international clients,” said Walter Dekkers, Managing Director Van Ameyde Marine. ”We have invested in Van Ameyde Seasia to ensure the region and our customers benefit from the same quality of surveying and services as our customers in Europe.”
“We are expanding in line with market demand and will now set our sights on developing our strategy to increase Van Ameyde Marine’s presence in other major maritime and offshore hubs around the world in line with our customers’ requirements.”
8 Olof Koning
(centre) will lead a new Van Ameyde Seasia executive team comprising Shipping Director Capt. Sanjay Varma (right), and Capt. Rutger Bierman (left), appointed Director, Offshore & Energy
Hill Dickinson expands partnership team
Hill Dickinson has bolstered its corporate, finance and shipping team with the promotion of two new people as partners to its marine team, the firm announced.
Vanessa Tzoannos and Anthony Paizes are both based in the Piraeus office, which means the Greek resident partnership now numbers five.
Tzoannos is qualified in England & Wales and Greece and was the first European woman to qualify in the Marshall Islands. She specialises in transactions in the shipping industry and international trade sectors and has expert knowledge of Marshall Islands/Liberian flagged vessels and incorporated entities.
Paizes is also qualified in England & Wales and Greece, as well as the Cayman Islands and South Africa. He specialises in corporate, finance and transactional shipping matters.
“Vanessa and Anthony’s promotions are very much well deserved, and both are
8 Anthony Paizes and Vanessa Tzoannos, new
partners at Hill Dickinson
regarded as responsive trusted advisers by their clients. Their promotion very much supports the continued growth of Hill Dickinson in Piraeus as a leading full service law firm for the maritime sector,” said Jasel Chauhan, Head of the Piraeus office.
SALT exceeds funding target
A boat finance start-up has closed its pre-seeding funding round with more subscriptions that anticipated.
SALT offers customers a straightforward way to become a boat owner and is releasing an app this autumn giving users access to professional advice to complete a purchase and be on the water at the earliest opportunity.
“Currently boat finance is somewhat broken with relatively few funders to choose from and limited options that encourage clients to actively proceed,” said Joe Dalton, chief executive at SALT.
“Add to this the painfully slow decision times and overall difficulty tracking applications, it is clear the entire process has become both time-consuming and frustrating.
At SALT we offer an exclusive one stop boat shop with seamless engagement throughout the purchase journey, plus the provision of full support for insurance, warranty, moorings or service contracts whilst delivering unrivalled convenience for sailors.”
SALT uses certified open banking technology to improve decision and processing times, alongside a paperworkfree process. It delivers instant credit decisions on a round-the-clock platform speeding up the boat buying process.
