Dutch geospatial company Fugro has been awarded a contract by the Norwegian Hydrographic Service to support the MAREANO seabed mapping program in 2025. For the first time in the program’s history, unmanned surface vessel (USV) technology will be used for data collection.
As part of this mission, Fugro will debut its new 18-meter USV Blue Eclipse, making its first commercial appearance. This approach is aimed at reducing the carbon footprint of seabed mapping operations.
The Blue Eclipse, the largest USV in Fugro’s fleet, will survey more than 675 square kilometers of the North Sea at depths ranging from 90 to 250 meters, operated remotely from Fugro’s control center in Aberdeen. Equipped with advanced, high-resolution multibeam echosounders and sub-seafloor data collection systems, the USV will gather comprehensive datasets, including bathymetry, water column data, acoustic backscatter, and sub-seafloor profiles, to better understand seabed topography and geology.
Since 2006, Fugro has already collected over 147,000 square kilometers of data for the MAREANO program, helping to create detailed maps of the seabed.
“The MAREANO program aims to accelerate the transition to lower carbon emissions in seabed mapping. The experience with USV technology this year will set the direction for future research opportunities,” said Helge Velde, Chief Engineer at the Norwegian Hydrographic Service.
