Danish mini-submarine to conquer the seven seas

Sea Technology, Dec 2000

According to Maridan A/S, after the complicated but successful search and rescue mission at Arresoe Lake, New Zealand, the new and even more advanced mini-submarine was ready to be named. According to Jesper Peter Baunsgaard, Maridan's marketing manager, the autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) will be setting course for other European and South African waters where it will carryout offshore assignments and search for diamonds.

The naming ceremony concluded seven years of development work where the vehicle series began as Marius (1993), evolved to Martin (1996) and was later named M150. The newest model, dubbed M600, is designed to execute tasks in depths down to 600 meters where it can operate completely autonomously.

Following its naming ceremony and deepwater tests, it will be sent on offshore assignments to survey, among other things, pipelines and platforms. Afterwards, it will periodically be employed in the exploration for diamonds and other precious minerals off South Africa's west coast. The ALTV, is equipped with installations for advanced data collection and sonar equipment, hydrophones and/or cameras.

According to Maridan, this is the only vehicle of its kind that can operate completely autonomously, without the use of radio or cable connections to a support vessel on the surface. For instance, it can be programmed to follow a determined pattern, such as a "lawn-mower pattern." The result is a minimizing of the offshore industry's costs combined with a maximum level of flexibility. With these qualities, the little yellow submarine will help to increase knowledge about the part of the world that is concealed below the surface of the ocean.

For further information please contact: Jens Pind, managing diector of Maridan A/S (Denmark), 45 4576 4050 (phone).