Unique Group (UG), a leading integrated turnkey subsea and offshore solution providers, in association with Kongsberg Maritime and Bayanat for Mapping and Surveying Services, is conducting a survey event in the Middle East from today (April 20).

The three-day event titled ‘Underwater Technology User Seminar 2015’ is being held in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

Bayanat provides end-to-end geospatial services for a range of businesses across diverse sectors including defence, municipality, oil and gas, transportation and utilities.

Its value offering includes surveying (aerial, hydrographic, field and geodesy), spatial data management, cartography and visualisation (2D and 3D) and relevant advisory services.

Kongsberg Maritime delivers a wide range of systems for dynamic positioning and navigation, marine automation, safety management, cargo handling, subsea survey and construction, maritime simulation and training, and satellite positioning.

Its solutions enhance efficiency and safety throughout the whole maritime technology spectrum.

As a part of the event schedule, a wide range of underwater mapping and imaging systems will be showcased to clients within the region, said a statement.

Some of these include the Kongsberg GeoAcoustics Geoswath Compact Bathymetry System, Pulsar Side Scan Sonar System, the Kongsberg range of underwater cameras and sub-bottom profilers and µPAP, it said.

A host of interactive presentations by underwater survey specialists will also be conducted on topics ranging from hydroacoustics, geoacoustics, multibeams, sub-bottom profilers, HPR and µPAP to underwater cameras.

The major highlight of the seminar, however, is a live boat demo on the latest EM2040C Compact wideband multibeam echosounder at Bayanat jetty.

Ian Huggins, general manager, Unique System, said: “The survey equipment rental division at Unique Group is elated to be organising the Underwater Technology User Seminar 2015 for survey clients in the Middle East.

“The event is a great platform for survey professionals to be introduced to the latest advancements in underwater imaging and mapping products and technologies such as the single beam and multi beam echosounders, side scan sonars, swath bathymetry systems, underwater cameras and other hydrographic surveying tools. Unique is proud to be associated with Bayanat, Kongsberg Maritime and CARIS for the event.”

Geir Skogen, sales manager,  Kongsberg Maritime, said: “We are pleased to launch the EM2040C Compact multi-beam echosounder in the Middle East through the Underwater Technology User Seminar platform.

“EM 2040 is the world's only true wideband high resolution Multibeam Echosounder system that is designed to meet requirements for hydrographic and inspection surveys and provides exceptional resolution and performance, including the ability to fulfill required along track coverage at twice the survey speed.”

The Kongsberg EM 2040C is a shallow water multibeam echosounder based on the EM 2040 technology, an ideal tool for any high resolution mapping and inspection applications. The receiver and transmitter are integrated in a common sonar head, said the statement.

The system fulfills and even surpasses the IHO-S44 special order and the more stringent LINZ specification, it said.

The operating frequency range is from 200 to 400 KHz with frequency selection in steps of 10 KHz, enabling the user to choose on the fly the best operating frequency for the application.

The post processing of the multibeam echosounder data will be presented using the CARIS HIPS and SIPS software.

The HIPS and SIPS software is a comprehensive bathymetric, seafloor imagery and water column data processing software that enables the simultaneous processing of multibeam, backscatter, side scan sonar, LiDAR and single beam data. Supporting over 40 industry standard sonar data formats, HIPS and SIPS can easily integrate into any workflow.

Dr Adel Al Shamsi, chief operating officer at Bayanat, said: “Bayanat is pleased to work with Unique and Kongsberg in delivering this event. As a regional geospatial services leader, we are keen to collaborate with industry leaders in the geospatial and hydrographic survey domain to better serve our customers in the UAE and beyond.” - TradeArabia News Service