The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has awarded marine survey specialists EMU Limited (EMU) a multi-million pound hydrographic contract as part of its programme to systematically survey the waters around the UK.
Using the latest dual-head high-resolution multibeamechosounders to obtain seabed depth in unprecedented detail, EMU will cover the Shallow Water Lot of the MCA’s Civil Hydrography Programme. The programmeaims to gatheraccurate hydrographic information for updating United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) nautical charts and publications.
EMU Managing Director, Bruce Tomlinson said that this is the largest and most prestigious contract the company has ever won and is evidence of EMU’s growing capabilities in the marine survey arena across industry sectors.
“By awarding EMU the contract to carry out part of this essential national programme, the MCA and UKHO have recognised the company as theindustry leader in the provision of the best, most technical and cost-effective survey solutions,” Dr Tomlinson said.
As the government bodies setting and assuring the standards of hydrographic data required byoffshore renewables developers for their consent applications (under Marine Guidance Note 371), the MCA and UKHOrequire contractors able to provide the benchmark in terms of quality of results.
“The MCA’s selection of EMU as itscontractor of choice for conducting the next two years of this important contract firmly establishes usas recognised experts,” he said. “It also provides the ultimate confidence to renewable energy developers that geophysical work they commission EMU to undertake will meet government requirements and pass smoothly through the consenting process.”
The MCA contract work will focus on eight main coastal offshore regions around the UK. These areas cover from Barra Island in Scotland and Carmarthen Bay in Wales to Belfast Lough in Northern Ireland and Poole Bay in England.
Starting in August, and with a two-year timeframe, the scope of work undertaken by EMU will cover more than 1,900 km2 of seabed utilising state-of-the-art multibeamechosounding equipment and other geophysical sensors. The survey will incorporate challenging areas in which EMU’s choice of the right people, equipment and techniques will be vital in ensuring safe and reliable seabed data is gathered.
“The project allows the company to continue its steady managedgrowth and investin the very latest equipment which will benefit our whole client-base,” Dr Tomlinson added.
About EMU Limited:
EMU Limited offers both consultancy and survey services to developers, regulators and other organisations operating in the marine environment. The company specialises in marine consenting solutions and the provision of geophysical, hydrographic, geotechnical, oceanographic, marine ecology, and water quality and laboratory analysis services.
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Source: emulimited, August 11, 2011