Managed ocean mapping from Farmar's premises

Text and photo: Sveinung W. Jensen, Tellus Kommunikasjon

An important part of the work was based on land, at Farmar's premises in Lundevågen in Farsund.

RIGGED FUGRO, the company that carried out the assignment, set up a separate operating room.

Several employees from the company, which is headquartered in Aberdeen, Scotland, followed the operation closely from land. At the same time, the accompanying vessel used Farmar's new concrete quay in Lundevågen.

The collaboration was established via logistics partner GAC, which helps with many of the practical aspects of the operation.

THE MISSION SHOWS how modern maritime operations increasingly require more than vessels and people at sea. They need quay space, logistics, technical infrastructure and suitable premises on land.

- "This is a good example of what we can facilitate in Lundevågen. Here, operators can rent premises, establish an operations room and at the same time have access to the quay and maritime facilities right outside the door," says John W. Nilsen, CEO of Farmar.

BLUE ECLIPSE IS an 18-metre-long unmanned surface vessel, known as a USV, equipped with advanced multibeam sonar and bottom-penetrating sonar. The vessel collects data on depth, bottom conditions, geology and topography.

A total of 675 square kilometres of seabed in the North Sea will be mapped for the Mareano programme, which is a collaboration between the Norwegian Mapping Authority, the Institute of Marine Research and the Geological Survey of Norway.

The mapping itself takes place in the Norwegian Trench off Farsund, in areas that are described as vulnerable and valuable marine areas with high biodiversity. Farsund has been chosen as the base when the vessel is in need of maintenance, fuelling or weatherproofing.

FARMAR CARRIES OUT the assignment is a good example of what the company can offer from Lundevågen.

In recent years, the company has built up maritime services, quayside facilities and areas that can be used by external organisations in need of an operational base along the coast.

- Many people associate us with tugs, towing and marine operations. But we also have facilities on land that make it possible to run demanding projects from here. This type of assignment shows the value of having a quay, people, premises and logistics all in one place," says Nilsen.

FUGROS USE of Farmar's premises also shows how digitalisation and remote-controlled vessels are changing the requirements for port areas.

When a vessel can operate without a crew on board, the base on land becomes all the more important. This is where data is monitored, decisions are made and the vessel is handled when it arrives from the field.

- For us, it's important to be a practical and flexible partner. Such operations need quick solutions, good working conditions and a short distance between the operating theatre and the quay. That's what we can offer in Lundevågen," says Nilsen.