Data Buoys Supplied to Observe Dredging Operations 

Ocean Scientific International Limited (OSIL), a marine systems manufacturer for environmental monitoring and sampling systems, has supplied a network of 1.2m data buoys to offshore construction company Van Oord.

The fully integrated multi-discipline data buoy networks, configured to monitor turbidity and dissolved oxygen levels in dredging sites, will support dredging operations by providing continuous real-time information about the dredge plume and surrounding environmental conditions.

The buoys are equipped with water quality sondes provided from Van Oord’s existing equipment pool, and relay collected data via GSM with an Iridium satellite Short Burst Data (SBD) back up.

OSIL data buoys can be outfitted with a multitude of instruments and sensors, from measuring basic parameters such as water temperature, current and wave measurements, atmospheric pressure and salinity, to hydrophones, subsea cameras, or sensors for nutrients, pollutants, oxygen and CO2 levels, or Chl-a and PAR.

The systems are self-contained, being furnished with sufficient solar power (which can be combined with alternative power sources) and back-up batteries to sustain the power demands of the systems. Data can be relayed from the buoys immediately and securely via GSM, radio or satellite, to a secure webpage or internet enabled device.

OSIL add that a total of 9 data acquisition systems have been produced for Van Oord, and the company now has over 800 data buoy systems worldwide.