Ocean science technology company, Sonardyne Asia Pte. Ltd., Singapore, has announced that its Ranger 2 underwater acoustic positioning technology has been selected for six new Chinese scientific research vessels. The major order, announced during the OI China exhibition and conference in Shanghai, follows news last month that the Polar Research Institute of China has also purchased Ranger 2 for its new 122 metre polar exploration vessel.
Delivered to Sonardyne’s in-country agent, China ORE, the Ranger 2 USBL (Ultra-Short BaseLine) systems will allow the position of scientific equipment deployed from each ship including; ROVs, towed equipment and seafloor landers, to be precisely tracked in any water depth. Ranger 2 will also be interfaced with each vessel’s dynamic positioning (DP) system for precise station keeping during science operations.
The new vessels are being built in response to China’s 13th five-year social and economic development plan and will be operated by institutes across China. When they enter service, each will undertake a broad range of science including; oceanography, marine ecology and geophysics.
Ranger 2 calculates the position of an underwater target by measuring the range and bearing from a vessel-mounted transceiver to a transponder attached to a vehicle or item of underwater equipment. Sonardyne’s exclusive wideband acoustic signal technology and 6G (sixth generation) hardware platform allows multiple targets to be simultaneously and precisely positioned to ranges beyond seven kilometres.
USBL system positioning performance can be seriously degraded by poor transceiver mounting and deployment so China ORE has selected Sonardyne’s through-hull deployment machine for each vessel. The design, validated on hundreds of vessels, features a stiff, corrosion-resistant pole and reliable hydraulic actuation with safety interlocks, sea chest for access, and remote control options.
Speaking during the OI China event, [blockquote author=” Qi Zhengyu, Director of China ORE”]”These new ships will enable our scientists to carry out vital research into urgent issues including monitoring the impact of polar ice melt on climate change. Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 is a key enabler for this work as it has the flexibility to meet the sustained observation needs of science users working in coastal and deep ocean waters.”[/blockquote]
Geraint West, Global Business Manager, Oceanographic with Sonardyne said that the company was very much looking forward to supporting China ORE through the delivery, installation and commissioning of this highly significant order. He added, [blockquote author=” Geraint West, Global Business Manager, Oceanographic with Sonardyne”]”This latest order serves to underline Ranger 2’s standing as the USBL system of choice for Chinese research vessels.”[/blockquote]
For more information on Ranger 2 USBL, please click here