Huntington Ingalls Industries’ (NYSE:HII) Technical Solutions division announced today the successful integration of its advanced autonomy solutions with Sea Machines Robotics’ SM300 autonomy product. The integration of these autonomous capabilities supports complex mission planning and collaboration between unmanned systems.

The Global Underwater Hub (GUH) has announced a series of senior appointments to deliver its ambition of transforming the underwater industry in the UK. The new intelligence-led organisation has appointed a finance director and head of communications to strengthen its team as it sets out on its mission to create strategic alliances and partnerships with other industry organisations and agencies around the world.

The first Southwark development well was expected to spud by the weekend of 18-19 December, following the repair of the Noble Hans Deul rig. Having initially anticipated a minor delay, owing to repeated technical issues with the underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV), it has not yet been possible to safely spud the well.

ROVOP, a leading remotely operated vehicle specialist (ROV), is predicting a continuing growth trajectory in 2022. This comes after a strong year which, since the previously reported £25m of contract wins, has seen the business secure a further £5m of awards in the last six weeks, predominantly in the renewables sector. This reflects the continuing increase in ROVOP’s global operations and business activity across all sectors.

DARPA has awarded Phase 2 contracts to continue the Manta Ray program that began in 2020. The effort seeks to demonstrate innovative technologies allowing payload-capable autonomous unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) to operate on long-duration, long-range missions in ocean environments. The two prime contractors, Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation and Martin Defense Group, are each developing unique full-scale demonstration vehicles.

We wish all our readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you in 2022! We are rebranding our magazine to Ocean Robotics Planet!

Fugro has deployed two new autonomous environmental landers off the coast of Saudi Arabia to collect oceanographic data in deep and remote areas of the Red Sea. The yearlong effort is being performed in collaboration with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) to better understand the local ecosystem and support Saudi Vision 2030, the country’s social and economic framework for a sustainable future.

InterMoor, the lead brand for Acteon’s Moorings and Anchors segment is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a key contract with Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, Ltd. (Chevron) for the disconnection and removal of Single Point Mooring (SPM) Buoy 1 and 2 in the Gulf of Thailand.

We are pleased to announce that Cyprus Subsea has become an international distributor for SubC Imaging. Cyprus Subsea is entitled to distributing SubC Imaging products, services, and support in Cyprus, Greece, and Israel.

Nauticus Robotics, Inc., a Houston-based developer of cloud-based surface and subsea robots, software, and associated services, and CleanTech Acquisition Corp. (NASDAQ: CLAQ), a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, today announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement that will result in Nauticus becoming a publicly listed company.

C-Kore Systems successfully completed an umbilical monitoring campaign for Vår Energi on their Balder Future project in Norway. The C-Kore Cable Monitor units were used to test the insulation resistance and continuity of the umbilical electrical lines during installation. With their automated test routine, the C-Kore units quickly and repeatedly tested and data-logged measurements of cable integrity, reducing the testing time required.

Mayflower Wind, the developer of the offshore wind project in joint venture (50:50) between Shell New Energies and Ocean Winds, announced it was awarded a 400 MW Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and its three biggest utilities as part of Massachusetts’ 83C III offshore wind energy procurement. Combined with its 804MW PPA from 83C II, Mayflower Wind will now provide more than 1200 MW of clean energy to electricity customers throughout Massachusetts and represents a first phase of its federal lease area.

Subsea 7 today announced the award of a sizeable1 contract by Aker BP for the Hanz field development located in the North Sea. The project involves a subsea tie-back of approximately 15 kilometres to the Ivar Aasen platform. The contract scope includes engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) of the gas lift and production pipelines, and associated subsea infrastructure, using vessels from Subsea 7’s fleet. The production pipeline is a pipe-in-pipe design.

Subsea 7 today announced the award of a large1 contract to Subsea Integration Alliance2 by Woodside, as Operator for and on behalf of the Scarborough Joint Venture3, for the Scarborough project, located approximately 380km offshore North West Australia.

James Fisher Subtech (JF Subtech), provider of specialist technical marine support to the renewables, oil and gas, civil works and salvage markets, and part of James Fisher and Sons plc, has successfully completed a challenging subsea inspection, repair and maintenance project for Ithaca Energy on its Floating Production Facility, the FPF-1, situated approximately 280 Kilometres East-Southeast of Aberdeen

Oceaneering International, Inc. has successfully conducted the first onshore remote piloting of a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) in the U.K. sector for bp. The operations were conducted from Oceaneering’s Onshore Remote Operations Center (OROC) in Stavanger, Norway.

Tractebel and partner companies have developed the world's first offshore infrastructure and processing facilities concept for the storage of hydrogen in offshore caverns. The design study, unveiled by Tractebel Overdick GmbH’s offshore experts, outlines an innovative solution for large-scale hydrogen storage on the high seas: a scalable offshore platform for the compression and storage of up to 1.2 million m³ of hydrogen. Underground salt caverns will be used as storage and buffer for the hydrogen produced offshore, before the gas is transported via the pipeline network to the onshore grid and finally to consumers and customers.

AKOFS Offshore (AKOFS) has been awarded a three-year contract with Petrobras to perform a broad scope of subsea services in Brazil. IKM Subsea Brazil will be responsible for the ROV services and Grupo Bravante will be responsible for marine services of the vessel Skandi Santos, a state of art Subsea Equipment Support Vessel (SESV) designed and equipped for subsea equipment installation, intervention and recovery. She will perform services in Buzios Field located within the region of pre-salt Santos Basin situated approximately 200km off the coast of Rio de Janeiro at water depths ranging from 1,600m to 2,100m.