Page 8: of Marine Technology Magazine (January 2006)

The Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management (Rijkswaterstaat) and Royal Haskoning signed a declaration in which both parties agree to study the fea- sibility of artificial reefs off the Dutch coast.

The construction of artificial reefs in the

North Sea is a plan that Royal Haskoning launched last summer with a view to pro- tecting the coasts of North and South

Holland against the sea. Royal Haskoning has already had experience of with the con- cept of artificial reefs as a means of coastal defense in Dubai. Bert Keijts (Director

General of Rijkswaterstaat) and Jan Bout (Chairman of the Board of Management of

Royal Haskoning) (pictured) signed the declaration during the Innovation Show in

Maarssen. Both parties say that they believe the idea of reefs is an interesting option for keeping the Netherlands dry and safe. The feasibility study for man-made reefs in the

North Sea will be phased. Each phase will end with a go/no-go moment before the next phase starts. The man-made reefs that are planned can help reduce heavy waves to normal proportions, protecting the coast during westerly storms. The reefs lie under the water and are built of natural materials.

There are three alternatives for the reefs, varying in length, number and distance from the coast. www.royalhaskoning.com news

Artificial Reef Off Dutch Coast

Studied

IOOS $2M RFQ Industry Day

The IOOS products and services will be procured through the General Services

Administration (GSA) Federal Acquisition

Service (FAS), Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) entitled "Professional Engineering

Services", and Special Item Number 871-3 entitled "System Design, Engineering and

Integration", RFQ Number 123298. The posting is available on www.ebuy.gsa.gov , accessible through company or agency

Procurement offices. Award of two Delivery

Orders is contemplated.

DETAILS: January 20 10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Bldg 3, Rm 4529 NOAA Complex

Silver Spring. Registration required: CON-

TACT [email protected], or (301) 713-8023x207.

India’s New Research Vessel

India will acquire by September 2007 a state-of-the-art research vessel for ocean research and deepsea mining. The vessel will be used for various technology demonstra- tion programs like deepsea mining, demon- stration of remotely operated vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicle and oceanographic surveys. Sources said the government has been implementing the

Polymetallic Nodules Program for explo- ration and development of relevant tech- nologies in the Pioneer area allotted to India in Central Indian Ocean Basin for potential exploitation of polymetallic nodules from deep sea. A crawler based shallow bed sand mining system was developed for sand min- ing at a water depth of 410 m. 8 MTR January 2006

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