Chinese Institute Selects Sonardyne Technology for New Research Vessel

Sonardyne Asia, Singapore, has announced that its underwater acoustic positioning technology has been selected for China’s new polar research vessel currently under construction.

Commissioned by the Polar Research Institute of China, the 122 meter vessel will be equipped with a Ranger 2 USBL (Ultra-Short BaseLine) system to allow the position of scientific equipment deployed from the ship to be precisely tracked. This will include ROVs, AUVs and seafloor landers.

Supplied through Sonardyne’s in-country agent, China ORE, Ranger 2 will also provide a position reference for the vessel’s Kongsberg dynamic positioning (DP) system, allowing the ship to remain in a specific location during science operations.

Entering service in 2018, the new vessel will conduct research into marine chemistry, ecology, geology, geophysics and sea ice dynamics, including determining how changes in Arctic sea ice is affecting China’s climate.

Anthony Gleeson, vice president of Sonardyne in Singapore said, “Ranger 2 is a key enabler for research vessels and has the flexibility to meet the precise in-water and near-bottom sustained observation needs of science users working in nearshore, coastal and deep ocean waters.”

Qi Zhengyu, director of China ORE added, “The Polar Research Institute of China joins a growing list of institutes who have recognised the valuable benefits of Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 acoustic technology. We looked forward to supporting them, the vessel’s shipyard and crew through the delivery, installation and commissioning phases of this prestigious contract.”