Australian marine survey company Guardian Geomatics will make its first contribution to the HydroScheme Industry Partnership Program (HIPP) by commencing work on the “Approaches to Newcastle” survey in December.
The Port of Newcastle is an export port on the east coast of Australia and facilitates economic activity within the region.
The survey area encompasses an inshore route used by vessels as they transit into and out of the port, with these approaches last surveyed in 1972.
The survey area adjoins recent coastal Bathymetric LiDAR surveys undertaken on behalf of the NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (formerly NSW Office of Environment and Heritage), and extends seawards to the 100 metre contour.
This survey will include collection of bathymetric data by multi-beam echo sounder to improve navigational safety as well as backscatter data to facilitate habitat mapping and environmental monitoring.
Data from this survey will be used to update electronic and paper nautical charting products.
Guardian Geomatics will deploy company-owned assets and software including EM2040, IXBlue ROVINS, Valeport SVP, QPS and Caris, which will be utilized in conjunction with its internal suite of GGTools and alos Seabed-Cloud.com.
Subsea-Cloud will ensure monitoring of all data acquired, with high speed data transfers, in real time, from the project location to shore for project management, final processing as well as quality control.
Guardian Geomatics managing director, Paul Kennedy , said: “We have been building our business capability and capacity with projects like HIPP in mind. By integrating the hydrographic survey services with our sister-company vessel, the MV Offshore Guardian, we reduce project, commercial, schedule and environmental risk – and ultimately provide a safe and healthy work environment to undertake our work to the highest standard.”