Category: News and Notes

ROVs will enhance the Belgian Armed Forces ability to inspect and dispose of underwater explosive ordnance (EOD), safeguarding harbours, coastal areas, ships and key infrastructure.

“The introduction of ROV R7s in the Belgian Navy marks a significant advance in the protection of Belgian waters; for underwater explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) inspection and removal, security of ports, coastal areas, ships and key infrastructures. This initiative demonstrates the Navy’s commitment to continuously improving its capabilities and ensuring the safety of both its personnel and the environment in which they operate,” the Belgian Defense said.

Full article at: Naval News 02apr24

Here are a few great examples of how the BlueROV2 can be tailored to suit specific needs:

The SeaClear robot system, developed as part of a four-year European research project, can successfully remove litter from the seabed.

Consisting of a base vessel, several ROVs and an aerial drone, the system can monitor and map the sea surface to identify litter hotspots, when deploy underwater ROVs to scan and collect litter, depositing in into a specially-designed basket.

Full article at: Hellenic Shipping News 22feb24

Almost any ROV technician will have a story of a near miss, an entanglement or a lost vehicle. About 6 months ago, Ran, an autonomous underwater vehicle, was lost while exploring under Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica (a.k.a Doomsday Glacier).

Not long before Ran got lost, it had been able to return some amazing maps of the underside of a glacier, giving scientists new insights into the interactions between the ice, fractures within it and water flowing beneath it.

Full article at: The U.S. Sun 02feb24 and Marine Technology News 02aug24