Page 42: of Marine Technology Magazine (April 2020)

New Products

Innovative new products, technologies and concepts

Lateral’s New cleaning solution for small ROVs ateral launched a new marine growth removal tool for use by smaller ROVs to reduce costs and save time. The

FlexiClean Micro is a ‘little brother’ to

L the Norway-based company’s larger FlexiClean innovation, which was launched in 2014.

Lateral said it was responding to the customer demand by introducing a downsized version of

FlexiClean for deployment on smaller observa-

GeoSpectrum Launches TRAPS-USV tion class ROVs. The Micro has a single layer of polyurethane fngers that remove growth more effciently than many jetting and conventional

GeoSpectrum Technologies launched a new and compact version of its brush options.

Towed Reelable Active Passive Sonar (TRAPS) suitable for unmanned

Electrically-powered, it reduces the need for surface vessels (USVs). Dubbed TRAPS-USV, this lighter-weight vari- using large-scale workclass ROVs (WROVs). ant is designed to ft on almost any size vessel, including patrol boats

Lateral co-founder and technical manager and USVs, while retaining full active sonar acoustic capabilities and

Keith Robertson, said: “Our pitch to clients is providing low frequency active submarine detection off smaller plat- that Flexi Clean can do 95% of the cleaning forms. With overall system weight reduced to approximately 40% of the projects in 5% of the time. This has been proven time and again. Ten FlexiClean Micro systems already compact TRAPS, TRAPS-USV allows surface vessels and USVs are currently in build with three pre-production as small as 12 meters long, to be equipped with powerful, long-range units already out with regular clients undergo- active sonar ASW capability. This enables the USVs to perform ASW op- ing integration, reliability and performance erations on the move while conducting independent missions or augment- testing. In addition to the FlexiClean range of ing manned ASW assets including opportunities for advanced techniques products, Lateral has developed a series of ef- such as bi-static and multi-static operation. Similar to its “larger brother” fcient and cost-effective innovations in recent

TRAPS, TRAPS-USV is a Low Frequency (LF) variable-depth-sonar times. FlexiCal is an electrically-driven subsea intended for detection, classifcation, localization, and tracking of subma- vernier primarily for chain metrology; FlexiTrim rines in ASW operations. TRAPS’ advantage is that its’ projector array is is designed to clean and inspect fexible risers reelable and stows on the winch drum with the receive array and tow cable. and wire mooring lines, supported by video in-

This feature eliminates the need for a dedicated active over-boarding system spection and sensors; FlexiTric is a tubular and riser cleaning tool that requires no interface to saving, weight, space, complexity and cost. Both TRAPS and TRAPS-USV the ROV except a tether cable, and FlexiClip is also have the capability to swap out and exchange active sonar projectors used to repair sheath damage on mooring lines allowing O-level adaptation of the system to different active sonar frequen- in-situ. cies in the 2 to 10 kHz range. The containerized version of TRAPS frst went to sea onboard Royal Canadian Navy ships in 2019.

JW Fishers Helps to Uncover History

In November of 2018 two archaeologi- same month that Homestead commercial rounding area for any other debris. Since cal maritime discoveries were made near trap fsherman Jose Antonio Lopez Ruiz the purchase, Jen states; “our staff, using the Upper Florida Keys by individuals was looking overboard from his vessel the Pulse 8X, have found now the car- who federal scientists lauded for report- and spotted what turned out to be the riage the cannon came off of, and many ing, rather than disturbing, their fnds. wooden wreckage from an unidentifed more parts of the old Spanish Galleon

Jennifer Kerr, owner of Sailfsh Scuba, ship from the 19th century near Alligator Ship.” A second cannon was also found mile marker 103.1, was exploring the Reef off Islamorada. The wreck lies in covered in silt using the Pulse 8X. Jen

Hannah M. Bell shipwreck near Key about 25-30 feet of water. shared that, since they received the Pulse

Largo when she noticed a cannon on The Pulse 8X from JW Fishers was 8X, there have been two occasions where

Elbow Reef that is now believed to be purchased by Sail Fish Scuba in attempt engagement rings have been lost and nearly 200 years old. The fnd comes the to verify the cannon and to search the sur- found using their detector.

JW Fisher April 2020 42

MTR