Science & Technology

We are seeing bold targets being set around the world: The European Union (EU) aims to install 300 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind capacity by 2050, as part of the EU’s goal of becoming climate neutral by 2050; Canada and the United States have both set targets of 30 GW offshore wind capacity by 2030 meanwhile the UK has committed to a 265% increase in offshore wind capacity to 50 GW by 2030.

The world’s oceans are truly vast spaces. When an ocean-going vessel like a deep-sea fishing trawler or a research craft runs into trouble hundreds of kilometers from shore, it can take many hours—even days—for meaningful help to arrive on the scene.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently ordered two REMUS 620 unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) from HII (NYSE: HII).

As climate change thrusts the need for the transition to low-carbon and green energy into the limelight, many, including the International Energy Agency (IEA), believe that curbing methane emissions from the oil and gas industry is one of the cheapest ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, drone and space age technology, which was first developed by the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab (JPL) to search for life on Mars, will now be used to detect offshore methane emissions.

During the NA152 expedition, the Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) and partners successfully completed a backscatter calibration of E/V Nautilus’ multibeam sonar at reference sites offshore of the island of Oʻahu and outside Hawaiʻi state waters.

A new ecosystem has been discovered in volcanic cavities beneath hydrothermal vents at a well-studied undersea volcano on the East Pacific Rise off Central America.

In situ characterization of droplets and particles in the marine environment is an important component of Environmental Baseline Surveys (EBSs) and spill response activities. CSA Ocean Sciences Inc. (CSA) has extensive experience using Laser In Situ Scanning and Transmissometry (LISST) instruments manufactured by Sequoia Scientific, including deep water LISST instruments designed for monitoring oil droplet size during accidental discharges for which subsea dispersants are a potential response tactic.

Marine habitat characterization is crucial for assessing resources at risk, identifying ecological services, and developing mitigation measures for the offshore energy industry. In deep water, remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) equipped with high-resolution digital cameras and lighting are often used to accomplish the collection of imagery that can be used to examine and interpret seafloor features, including the identification of sensitive benthic habitats (e.g., hard grounds and seeps).

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) is organizing multiple sessions during the biannual Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM) in New Orleans, Louisiana February 18-23, 2024. OSM is a biannual flagship conference for the ocean sciences, attended by a diverse community of scientists, students, journalists, policymakers, educators, and other stakeholders.

Norwegian RoRo shipping company Höegh Autoliners has selected Kongsberg Digital’s solution to digitalize its fleet and the new Aurora-class pure car and truck carriers (PCTCs).

An international drilling expedition off the Norwegian coast led by Christian Berndt, Professor of Marine Geophysics at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research in Kiel, and Sverre Planke, Professor of Marine Geophysics at the University of Oslo, confirms the theory that methane emissions from hydrothermal vents were responsible for global warming about 55 million years ago.

With a rapid transition towards renewable energy, the Energy sector has an increased reliance on technology.