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Multibeam for new PLA catamaran
A new purpose-built survey catamaran under construction by Colchester-based CTruk for delivery to the Port of London’s Hydrographic Service later this year is to be equipped with an R2Sonic 2024 broadband multibeam sounder supplied by personnel and equipment specialists Swathe Services of Truro, Cornwall.
Selected by the PLA following extensive trials of a trio of systems on the Thames last year, the 2024 is claimed by its US manufacturer to be the world’s first proven wideband high-resolution shallow water multibeam sounder. Its 60kHz signal bandwidth is said to provide twice the resolution of any other comparable sonar in terms of both data accuracy and image. It will be used for structual monitoring and other high-resolution bathymetric requirements aboard the new vessel which will have a quoted survey speed in excess of 2 knots.
By David Goodfellow
