STR makes largest iXblue investment to date

UK’s Subsea Technology & Rentals (STR) has acquired the iXblue long baseline (LBL) system Canopus, strengthening its global rental fleet.

Canopus brings together intelligent transponders, Ramses transceivers, Inertial Navigation Systems (INS), and Delph Subsea positioning software.

It is also a third-party-friendly solution able to be easily integrated within existing operational fields, STR said.

With the investment, STR has become the first rental company to offer the system for hire.

“This investment with iXblue is STR’s largest to date in our 20 years of offering our customers iXblue products. As a global leader whose proven technology is recognized worldwide within our industry, their systems are great assets to have and they’ve always met our customer’s requirements,” said STR’s chief operating officer, Scott Johnstone.

“In 2021 we invested in the Gaps M5 and these systems have been widely utilized by our customers on geophysical surveys for offshore windfarm site investigations, and other tracking and towed services”.

At the beginning of the year, the U.S.-headquartered Baird Capital invested in STR to support it in developing its equipment and service offerings.

The investment is set to enable the UK subsea rental equipment provider to further expand its geographical reach, with the Americas, mainland Europe and Southeast Asia being a key focus, supporting the offshore wind sector.

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