Data buoy manufacturers Ocean Scientific International (OSIL) have recently supplied eight 1.2m buoys to Jan De Nul Group, which will use them on different dredging and renewables projects as platforms for environmental monitoring.
Each buoy incorporates a variety of sensors from different manufacturers, including AML Oceanographic, Campbell Scientific and Nortek, with specialist seabed frames for current monitoring work, OSIL explained. The buoys are configured to quickly and easily swap between Iridium, UHF and GPRS telemetry methods depending on what communication systems are available at the current or future installation locations. Data from the buoy systems are emailed to Jan De Nul project workers.
The buoys can be used in mixed coastal environments and moored in a variety of water depths ranging from 3m to 50m. The hull and top frame are manufactured from rotationally moulded polyethylene, with the hull being filled for added security, the manufacturer said. The top frame accommodates 4 solar panels, a built in radar reflector and a St Andrews Cross.