SAES presents its underwater measurement systems for the civil sector at World Maritime Week (WMW) in Bilbao

SAES exhibits at SINAVAL its MIRS model, a dual application which works as a multi-influence radiation measurement system for ships, as well as an underwater measuring station for environmental assessment. SINAVAL, focused on shipbuilding, is one of the five congresses held by the International Maritime Week. The event is organised by the Bilbao Exhibition Center (BEC) from 5th to 7th October.

SAES participates as a co-exhibitor with Navantia in SINAVAL, the international naval congress part of the “World Maritime Week 2021”, which hosts in parallel 4 other congresses related to the following fields: fishing (EUROFISHING); ports (FUTUREPORT); upstream and downstream oil & gas (OIL & GAS CONFERENCE); and wave, tidal and current energy (OCEAN ENERGY CONFERENCE).

 SAES is interested in the five areas of the WORLD MARITIME WEEK and is showing at SINAVAL its portfolio of underwater measurement and analysis products as well as its services for the civil sector, such as the SDH smart digital hydrophone or the MIRS: a multi-influence signature measurement system for ships, applicable for environmental assessment. This system is one of a wide range of SAES products with dual applications for both the defence and civil markets: from diver detection sonars (detection of underwater intrusion) to multi-influence signature measurement systems and sonobuoys acoustic processor systems.

Adolfo Hernández, SAES Comercial Director ( a la derecha), together with Head of the Civil Market & Security, Eduardo Ruiz.

As specialist in underwater acoustics, SAES is also presenting its DDS-03: a high-frequency sonar specially designed for the for the detection of underwater threats, such as divers and manned and unmanned underwater vehicles, as well as the protection and surveillance of critical infrastructures (whether they are shipyards, ports, aquaculture facilities, oil or gas extraction and processing platforms or marine generators).

The system watches over the underwater area to be protected autonomously and continuously. When detecting a threat, the system generates an alert and continues to monitor it, allowing to know the exact position, distance, trajectory, and type of threat. This information enables to be activated well in advance acoustic deterrents to counter the threat, such as dispatching a patrol to the area.

Both the sonar and the acoustic deterrent system allow their deployment from patrol boats, manned or not, thus expanding the coverage radius of the system, compared to a fixed installation.    

Underwater measurement for the civil sector

SAES has products for underwater measurement and analysis services for the civil sector, such as the SDH smart digital hydrophone or the MIRS system.

The MIRS system measures and processes not only acoustic emissions but also electrical and magnetic radiation and other influences and parameters such as the seismic wave and the temperature.

On the other hand, the SDH is a dual device designed and built to be used by oceanographic institutes, universities, certification companies as well as for applications in the military sector. One of the main applications of the SDH smart digital hydrophone is the measurement of the indicators defined in descriptor 11 (European Directive 2008/56/EC establishing a framework for community action in the field of marine environmental policy).

These solutions are applicable to conducting scientific and environmental studies, as well as to verifying underwater noise levels caused by maritime traffic, construction activities at sea, oil and gas extraction platforms and offshore wind fields, among others; as well as any facility or activity that may introduce energy into the marine environment.

   

NAVANTIA and SAES in a pioneering proposal for underwater monitoring and warning for Ports 4.0.

SAES and Navantia has presented to the Ports 4.0 Program a project that would provide its clients with new capabilities in the submarine environment, thus expanding the capabilities of the USV Vendaval with respect to the model that already operates in the Port of Ceuta.

The proposed solution will allow the real-time monitoring of underwater noise and the estimation of the origin of the source, facilitating evaluations with the aim to compliance with environmental control regulations. Likewise, the solution will allow alerting of the existence of risky objects for navigation and controlling waste or spills in port facilities by monitoring the bottoms of channels, approaches and anchorages.

Additionally, the system will send acoustic signals and warning messages to not be allowed divers that entering into a protected area.

The USV Vendaval of Navantia is the first unmanned surface vehicle marketed and operational in real missions in Spain. It has been incorporated into Navantia Environmental Monitoring and Control System for Ceuta Port Authority.

SAES provides underwater systems and artificial intelligence technologies

The project will include multiple SDH Smart Digital Hydrophones, designed and manufactured by SAES, a side scan sonar and a deterrent system installed at the Navantia’s Vendaval USV

The deployment of multiple SDHs will allow, not only a better coverage of the area for the monitoring of environmental noise, but also the estimation of the origin (direction) of the source, by signal processing techniques.

To the integration of the side scan sonar in the USV, it will be added the use of artificial intelligence technologies (such as neural networks) applied to the sonar image processing to facilitate the detection and classification of objects in the background.

The integration of the Deterrent System in the USV Vendaval seeks to achieve a more compact solution of the system that facilitates the deployment of this equipment from small vessels (even smaller than Navantia’s USV) such as ROVs and Intervention UUVs.