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Multibeam sounders for new Japanese Coast Guard vessels
Denmark’s Teledyne Reson is to provide extensive multibeam equipment assemblies for two new hydrographic survey vessels under construction for the governmental Japan Coast Guard (JCG) organisation.
Built by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries for delivery in March 2020, the first 100-metre deep sea craft is to be equipped with Hydrosweep DS full ocean depth and MD50 medium depth sounders together with portable Seabat T50 assemblies, one of which will be installed on an accompanying survey launch. Other sensors include two ADCPs (acoustic doppler current profilers) and an auto-profiler for sound velocity casts.
The second 23-metre vessel designed for shallow and medium depth applications is being built by Kiso Shipbuilding for delivery next March. Its equipment will include Reson’s SeaBat 7160 medium depth and T50-R shallow water multibeam units and two RDI ADCPs.
Based in Tokyo with a sizeable fleet of more than 450 vessels, the Japan Coast Guard carries out a variety of maritime activities, including hydrographic surveying and oceanographic research. Some 13 ships are dedicated to exclusive nationwide survey operations.
By David Goodfellow
