Taiwanese offshore geophysical and geotechnical investigation company PDE Offshore has upgraded its underwater acoustic positioning system onboard MV Geo Energy to Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 USBL system.
The upgrade will further enhance PDE Offshore’s capability in the exploration of offshore renewable energy (ORE) in Taiwan, the company said.
Having already used Sonardyne’s Mini Ranger 2 for several years, investing in the full Ranger 2 system was a logical choice to provide the reliable dynamic positioning references essential for the vessel’s operations, whilst also giving the capability for operating in greater depths and more challenging conditions, according to PDE Offshore.
Sonardyne’s Ranger 2 system can be used to track subsea assets, for positioning or communication with an underwater vehicle, or dynamically positioning of the vessel. It is suitable for use for both survey and construction phases of ORE and supports complex tracking scenarios such as structures and vehicles with multiple transponders and multiple remote offsets.
“It was a simple and logical choice to go ahead and upgrade to the Ranger 2 system to improve our capability to take on greater projects in the region,” said Huang Hsin-chih, President of PDE Offshore.
“Taiwan’s ambitions of becoming a green island means it is fast becoming a leading player offshore wind in Asia Pacific. We’re pleased to be a part this energy transition through PDE Offshore’s continued confidence and investment in our products,” added Dan Tan, Regional Sales Manager for Sonardyne in Singapore.
In addition, PDE Offshore’s geotechnical vessel Geo Power, also equipped with Ranger 2 USBL system, is currently under conversion work and will join the fleet in mid-2024. The vessel with offer both seabed and downhole cone penetration testing services.