NOVEMBER 2025
UNDERWATER
R·O·B·O·T·I·C·S
18
NEWS
COVER
14
METROLOGY
12
48
ROVS
CRAWLERS
22
18
44
GLIDERS
AUVS
Editor: John Howes
John@ut-2.com
+44 7859905550
Advertising:
Zinat Hassan
UT3subsea@gmail.com
Tel: +44 (0) 845 6522 483
Mobile: +44 (0) 781 1200 483
ISSUE 18
November 2025
Oceaneering’s
Vision 3D data
visualisation
COVER STORY: OCEANEERING
Oceaneering International has announced Vision Subsea, a
new module within the cloud-based Vision 3D data
visualisation software platform developed by its
subsidiary, GDi.
This module transforms engineering-grade ROV-gathered
point cloud data into a measurable, contextual view of subsea
asset integrity to better enable identification of anomaly
location, dimensional checks and intervention planning.
It reduces exposure, shortens inspections and saves costs
through smarter campaign planning.
Vision Subsea addresses common integrity challenges from
fragmented drawings and consolides inspection evidence into
a single, measurable digital record. Delivered as a cloud
application, it supports collaboration across integrity,
inspection and planning teams and reduces the need for
repeat mobilisations.
Combined with Oceaneering’s engineering expertise, these
capabilities strengthen asset management across industries.
Digital inspection activities apply inspection rigour and
impartiality to digital workflows so operators can use the
outputs confidently in compliance and governance
programmes.
VISION
SUBSEA
Subsea technology and services
company SMD has officially
opened SMD Tech Works, a
£3m state-of-the-art innovation
and manufacturing centre
designed to power the
development of world-leading
equipment.
Strategically located on
Newcastle’s Tyne Corridor, the
facility represents a £3million
investment that expands SMD’s
production capacity and strengthens its
position as a global leader in subsea
innovation.
The new site has been specifically
designed to support the efficient
development and delivery of world-first
products for SMD’s growing order
book. SMD Tech Works includes
advanced test facilities, development
laboratories, and manufacturing space
to accelerate the creation and
deployment of next-generation
systems.
SMD TECH WORKS
NEWS
NEWS
RBRLEGATO⁴
RBR has introduced RBRlegato⁴ CTD, its next-
generation of conductivity-temperature-depth
instrumentation designed specifically for gliders and
autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs).
Building on the capabilities of the RBRlegato³ CTD,
this new version brings an increased depth rating,
improved depth accuracy of ±0.01% full scale, and
flexible multi-rate sampling capability.
The RBRlegato⁴ CTD retains the same pump-free,
inductive conductivity cell, eliminating moving parts
and reducing both complexity and energy use. With
the addition of multi-rate sampling across sensors –
for example, sampling CTD at 16Hz but running
power-hungry sensors at only 1Hz – the instrument
consumes only 46mW of power when sampling.
That is 90% less power than traditional pumped
CTDs, enabling you to extend mission durations or
collect more data, faster, without compromising
endurance.
READY FOR MULTI-PARAMETER MISSIONS
Modern ocean science rarely stops at salinity and
temperature. The RBRlegato⁴ CTD integrates
seamlessly with additional sensors — from dissolved
oxygen and turbidity to PAR and fluorescence —
enabling a single payload to deliver
comprehensive, combined
oceanographic datasets.
Introducing KD300E,
our new electric thruster
made this!
Meet ,
the future unveiled
NEW!
Introducing ZEEROV (Zero Emission Electric Remotely Operated Vehicle) - the latest work-class ROV from
Kystdesign. Designed to push the boundaries of subsea exploration, ZEEROV delivers a new level of performance,
versatility, and sustainability. With its advanced electric propulsion system KD300E, ZEEROV is a zero-emission
vehicle that offers a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional ROV´s.
kystdesign.no
Seatools has been awarded a
contract by Jan De Nul for the
design and delivery of a Fall
Pipe ROV (FP-ROV) that will
form a key system of the
company’s recently announced
subsea rock installation vessel,
the George W. Goethals.
The ROV will play an essential
role in the vessel's mission to
protect critical subsea
infrastructure by enabling highly
accurate and controlled rock
placement around cables and
foundations, safeguarding
assets that underpin global
energy transmission.
The Fall Pipe ROV will be
installed at the lower end of the
vessel's vertical fall pipe and is
responsible for the accurate
horizontal positioning of the
pipe's outlet. In addition, the
ROV will be used to perform
detailed pre-, intermediate-, and
post-lay surveys, supporting
precise subsea rock installation
and verification operations.
This enables precise subsea rock
installation, a critical operation
for the protection and
stabilisation of subsea
infrastructure such as cables and
pipelines.
For this project, Seatools'
subsea specialists will work in
close coordination with Jan De
Nul's in-house vessel-design
team to ensure seamless
integration between the ROV
system and the ship's advanced
fall-pipe arrangement,
combining both parties'
engineering strengths into one
cohesive subsea solution.
ADVANCED AUTOMATION
AND PRECISION CONTROL
Like all Seatools FP-ROVs, the
system will feature the
company's proprietary
ROV Dynamic
Positioning (DP) system,
which provides
automated and highly
accurate subsea
positioning.
The DP system
integrates advanced
functions such as Auto-
Track, allowing both the
ROV and the vessel to
automatically follow a
predefined track during
rock installation. This
results in minimal rock
spillage, consistent
coverage, and maximum
installation efficiency.
The Fall Pipe ROV project for
Jan De Nul is part of a series of
strategic projects that further
strengthen Seatools' position and
marks another highlight in what is
shaping up to be an
exceptionally successful year for
the company.
Delivery of the FP-ROV system is
scheduled for 2027.
SEATOOLS TO DELIVER FALL PIPE ROV FOR
JAN DE NUL'S NEW VESSEL
Another fall pipe ROV (FP-ROV)
supplied earlier to JDN.
NEWS
OPTIMIZE YOUR OPERATIONS
Gather high-quality survey data at a lower
operational impact. Our integrated USV services
deliver an efficient, environmentally friendly
alternative to vessel supported operations.
Connecting What’s Needed with What’s Next™
Connect with what’s next at oceaneering.com/usv
Copyright © 2025 Oceaneering International, Inc. All rights reserved.
10
10
EXAIL EXPANDS PRESENCE IN
THE BALTIC SEA WITH FIRST
DRIX H-8 DELIVERY TO ORLEN
PETROBALTIC
Exail, together with its partner Thesta, has delivered a DriX
H-8 Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV) to Orlen Petrobaltic.
This marks the very first commercial deployment of DriX in
Poland, where the complex maritime environment of the
Baltic Sea demands innovative and resilient solutions for
offshore operations.
The Exail’s DriX H-8 USV is known for its robustness,
endurance, and ability to deliver high-quality hydrographic
and geophysical data. With its autonomous capabilities
and ability to operate in challenging offshore conditions,
the DriX H-8 offers a safer, more efficient, and
environmentally friendly alternative to traditional crewed
vessels.
Orlen Petrobaltic will deploy the DriX H-8 in the Baltic Sea
to support offshore platform activities. For this project, the
DriX H-8 will be equipped with a Norbit B51S multibeam
echosounder (MBES), integrated on the platform for the
very first time. This new configuration provides Orlen
Petrobaltic with a next-generation hydrographic survey
capability, enhancing data quality and efficiency while
operating in the Baltic Sea’s demanding conditions.
“Deploying DriX H-8 in the Baltic Sea for the first time is
another illustration of how Exail pushes the boundaries of
uncrewed maritime operations,” said Jens Higgen,
Regional Sales Director at Exail. “Together with Orlen
Petrobaltic, we’re proud to shape a new standard for
offshore data acquisition and autonomy.”
NEWS
11
12
12
The West Delta Deep Marine
(WDDM) Phase 10 and Phase
11 EPIC projects were
executed by MCS Group and
Petroleum Marine Services
(PMS) for Burullus Gas. In total,
six new subsea wells were
successfully integrated into
the existing offshore
infrastructure.
As part of the project, precise
subsea measurements
were required. MCS's
Photo Realistic 3D
Cloud (PRC)
Technology played a
crucial role in achieving the
project objectives.
The scope of the project was
to carry out:
1) Jumper metrology to
ensure accurate
measurements and
installation of eight subsea
jumpers to connect the six
wells to the existing subsea
infrastructure.
2) Umbilical Installation
Surveys to confirm precise
positioning relative to
existing infrastructure.
3) Pre-Engineering and As-built
Surveys to provide detailed 3D
models of the subsea
environment and installed
structures.
When conducting these
operations, are a number of key
considerations that had to be
taken into account. One such was
the complexity of the layout.
Integrating six new wells into the
existing subsea network at
depths ranging from 450m to
660m demanded precise
planning to avoid clashes with
the existing infrastructure. It was
particularly important that the
jumper installations were
accurately engineered.
The pre-engineering,
fabrication and installation of
eight jumpers, each measuring
up to 29m, required millimetre
level accuracy to ensure smooth
connections between
the wells and the subsea
infrastructure.
SUBSEA ME
SUBSEA METROLOGY
13
Umbilical Laying was another
issue and this was particularly
true during Phase 10, where it
was important to ensure the
precise positioning of the 5km
and 2km umbilical in relation to
the existing infrastructure.
This was all set against the
background of complex sub
environments. The work
required the use of 3D
visualisation to identify potential
misalignments and guide
immediate corrections.
Preengineering and as-built
surveys were essential to confirm
alignment and asset integrity.
The solution proposed by MCS
was the deployment of Photo
TROLOGY
Realistic 3D Cloud (PRC)
technology ensured the
successful delivery across major
phases such as the umbilical
laying and jumper fabrication and
installation. The operation
sequence was divided into four
key stages: Umbilical Laying
14
14
Assistance, Jumper Pre-
Engineering Survey, Metrology,
and As-Built Survey.
1. UMBILICAL LAYING
ASSISTANCE
A DeepTech work-class ROV
(Triton XLS 43) equipped with
MCS PRC cameras was deployed
to assist in the 5km & 2km
umbilical laying process.
The PRC system was utilised to
accurately position the Mudmat
relative to existing subsea
structures, such as the Umbilical
Termination Assembly (UTA).
This enabled the onboard survey
team to determine the precise
start and end positions of the
four mudmats, ensuring accurate
alignment during the umbilical
laying operation.
2. PRE-ENGINEERING SURVEY
The PRC system was deployed to
perform a detailed pre-
engineering survey for jumper
fabrication and installation.
It generated a 3D point cloud
model with precise
measurements, offering a
comprehensive and detailed
representation of the subsea
environment. This model included
all critical distances and
inclinations of subsea structures,
such as PLETS, UTAs, and
XTrees.
3. JUMPER METROLOGY AND
FABRICATION
• Data Collection and Modelling
The detailed data gathered
during the pre-Installation survey
was processed by the MCS
Inspection and Survey teams
using PRC software and MCS
Computer Vision technology.
This enabled the creation of 3D
point cloud models with highly
accurate measurements. These
Jumper Metrology
SUBSEA METROLOGY
15
TSB Hub
Inclination X-Z
View – Relative
measurements
models were essential for the
MCS team to determine jumper
lengths, angles, and connection
points, forming the foundation
for precise jumper designs.
• Jumper Design, Fabrication &
Installation
With this comprehensive data,
the MCS team validated the
jumper designs, which were
developed by the Engineering
team, ensuring alignment with
the existing infrastructure.
As a result, the jumpers were
produced to fit with the subsea
structures, enabling flawless
installation, which was conducted
by DeepTech (part of the MCS
Group) using their Work Class
ROVs.
4. AS-BUILT SURVEY
Once the jumpers were installed,
a post-installation Survey was
conducted to verify the
positioning and integrity of the
installed jumpers.
Using precise measurements from
the PRC system, the subsea
teams used the survey data in
jumper stress analysis to assess
the structural performance after
installation.
Jumper Installation Operations Post-Fabrication
As-Built PRC 3D Point
Cloud Result: General
Overview After
Jumper Installation
16
16
The survey confirmed
compliance with project
requirements and ensured the
long-term integrity of the subsea
system.
• Reduced Cost and Time:
PRC technology reduced both
operational costs and time by
completing structure surveys
within 3- hrs per structure,
compared to the extended
mobilisation, demobilisation, and
survey durations required by
other alternative methods such
as BL, thereby minimising
project
downtime and resource usage.
• Improved Accuracy:
MSC PRC technology delivered
a linear accuracy of 0.001m,
ensuring precise jumper
fabrication, smooth installation,
accurate alignment of subsea
structures, and reliable data for
advanced analyses, such as stress
assessment after jumper
installation.
• Comprehensive Insights:
The 3D models generated by
PRC provided a complete and
detailed representation of subsea
structures, allowing for precise
measurements and visualisations,
and enabling teams to address
additional requirements beyond
the pre-defined scope
PRC 3D Point Cloud
during the Pre-
Engineering Survey.
SUBSEA METROLOGY
17
Available worldwide from
Ashtead Technology
ashtead-technology.com
MINI GAS/LIQUI
SAMPLING TOOL
HYDRAULIC-OPERATE
Designed to capture gas and liqu
samples in a subsea environment
The Vortex Hydraulic Mini Gas Sampling tool
can recover samples to the surface in a low press
state of no more than 14psi (0.96bar) using a hyd
mechanically operated syringe to ingest samples
purge sample into a sample container after recov
surface. The tool is designed to be deployed from
surface with the syringe bled of air immediately u
entering the water and sample fi lling driven by a suc
and blow pumping motion created by the syringe
associated relief valves. Samples can also be
discharged underwater if necessary.
MINI GA
SAMPLI
HYDRAULI
Ava
Designed to cap
samples in a su
The Vortex Hydraulic M
recover samples to the
of no more than 14psi (
mechanically operated
purge sample into a sam
surface. The tool is des
surface with the syringe
entering the water and
and blow pumping mot
associated relief valves
underwater if necessary
Vortex have upgraded our current hydraulic operate
pressure gas and fluid sample tool with a calibrated f
to allow real time measurement of gas and fluids prio
collecting the sample.
HYDRAULIC-OPERATED
Samples in a subsea environment.
Designed to capture gas and liquid
The Vortex Hydraulic Mini Gas Sampling tool
recovers samples to the surface in low pressures
of not more than 14psi (0.96bar) using a
hydraulic, mechanically-operated syringe. This
ingests and then purges the sample into a
designated container.
The tool is designed to be deployed from the
surface with the syringe bled of air. Immediately
upon entering the water, the sample bottle is
filled, driven by a suck and blow pumping motion
created by the syringe and associated relief
valves. Samples can also be taken underwater if
necessary.
We have also upgraded our current hydraulically-
operated low pressure gas and fluid sample tool
with a calibrated funnel. This allows real-time
measurement of gas and fluids prior to collecting
the sample.
MINI GAS/LIQUID
SAMPLING TOOL
18
18
In a world-first for marine science
and technology, Teledyne Marine
in collaboration with Rutgers
University-New Brunswick, will
conduct a pioneering mission to
circumnavigate the globe with an
autonomous underwater glider.
Using Teledyne’s ‘Redwing’, the
most advanced commercial
subsea glider ever developed, the
near five-year Sentinel Mission
departed in October 2025
following a ceremony at Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institution
(WHOI), which operates the
second largest glider fleet in the
world.
Launched from the edge of the
continental shelf south of Martha’s
Vineyard, Massachusetts, the next
generation Slocum Sentinel
Glider will gather unparalleled
levels of data on ocean currents,
sea temperature and their impact
on weather systems and the
planet.
This data will help refine weather
models and improve hurricane
intensity forecasting. The data will
also help to inform ocean policy
and conservation efforts.
“This is a truly historic mission,”
said Brian Maguire, COO at
Teledyne Marine.
WORLD-FIRST: UNDERW
GLIDER TO CIRCUMNAV
“It will pave the way for a future
where a global fleet of
autonomous underwater gliders
will be able to continuously
sample our oceans.
“These gliders will deliver early
warnings of extreme weather
and will track the impact of
shifting ocean currents so that
we can refine long-term
weather projections in a way
that scientists have dreamed of
for decades.
GLIDERS
19
WATER AUTONOMOUS
VIGATE THE GLOBE
“It will also prove that long-range, next-
generation, low energy autonomous
underwater vehicles (AUVs) are capable of
carrying more complex, heavier, and
increasingly energy hungry sensors on
missions that we could only have imagined
previously.”
A LEGACY REALISED
The culmination of a vision first imagined by glider
inventor Doug Webb — who pioneered
autonomous ocean vehicles at Teledyne Webb
Research — the Sentinel Mission serves as both a
tribute to Webb, who passed away in 2024 at the
age of 94, and a response to the urgent need for
global ocean monitoring.
Specially built for the mission ‘Redwing’ – an
acronym for Research & Education Doug Webb
Inter-National Glider – will surf global ocean
currents on its epic mission gathering critical ocean
data from under-sampled, remote regions of the
globe.
A GLOBAL FLIGHT PATH
Redwing’s first leg will see it ride the Gulf Stream
south of Martha’s Vineyard toward Europe, before
sweeping south to stop at Gran Canaria off the
coast of North West Africa. Its next leg will take it
to Cape town in South Africa, before crossing the
Indian Ocean to stop at Perth in Western Australia,
then on to Wellington, New Zealand.
It will then navigate the Antarctic Circumpolar
Current — the most powerful current on Earth —
taking it on its longest leg to the Falkland Islands.
From here there will be possible stops in Brazil and
the Caribbean before heading back to Cape Cod
in the U.S.
PROVIDING VITAL DATA
Transmitting information via satellite when it
surfaces every 8-12 hrs, Redwing will share vital
data on ocean temperature, salinity, currents, and
ocean health via the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) global
20
20
monitoring system. This will ensure that scientists,
oceanographers, meteorologists, universities, and
even schools worldwide will be able to access real-
time results internationally, building interest in the
mission.
BUILT FOR ENDURANCE
The Sentinel Redwing is a new class of sea glider,
purpose-designed for ultra-long missions across
some of the harshest seas on Earth. Specially
engineered with extended battery capacity and
additional sensor capability, it can travel up to
Sentinel Redwing
15,000 kilometres on a single leg.
DEPTH AND PERFORMANCE
Redwing will dive to depths of 1000m before
returning to the surface to transmit data every 8-12
hrs. Using only gravity and buoyancy for propulsion,
it flies in a sawtooth pattern through the water,
conserving energy for years-long deployments.
SMART DESIGN
Redwing’s carbon fibre hull flexes under pressure,
compressing slightly during descent, while its
buoyancy is adjusted via an oil pump and pitch
GLIDERS