Hydrographic survey Cheetah is survey ready

Built for SinoHydro, the 8.5m vessel is the fifth of the new 8.5m x 3.4m series, which is Cheetah’s latest hull design. It will be stationed in Bangladesh and deployed for hydrographic survey applications such as depth sounding and current profiling in the Padma Multi-purpose Bridge Project.

Cheetah Marine said the vessel features “twin Yamaha 150hp outboards producing top speeds of over 30 knots and a steady cruising speed of 18-20 knots at 3500rpm. Below deck, two 180 litre custom built fuel tanks provide a range of 200m at 15 knots depending on the currents in the river”.

Robust equipment

The vessel features two mounting points for deployment of survey equipment, a sidemount for ADCP and the single beam echosounder, as well as the central moonpool for deployment of the widebeam MBES.

With a moonpool frame built in 50mm stainless steel tube, Cheetah’s patented Hydropod system accommodates the R2 Sonic 2024 transducer head. The system ensures high accuracy of the fixing position, meaning that recalibration after transit is not required, and is easily transported between survey sites.

Cheetah Marine fitted a Fisher Panda 8000i 8kva (6.4kw) generator system with dual Durasea rooftop air conditioning systems to keep productive and comfortable conditions in the hot climate of Bangladesh.

The 7-year Padma Bridge is the largest construction to date in Bangladesh and will form the major link to connect the south west, north and eastern regions.

By Rebecca Jeffrey