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Geodetic Offshore Services Limited (GOSL), a leading Nigerian provider of offshore survey services, is set to enhance its hydrographic and geophysical survey capabilities with the acquisition of a REAV 47 uncrewed surface vessel (USV) from UK-based HydroSurv.
This marks HydroSurv’s first delivery to Nigeria and further expands the company’s international reach in delivering next-generation uncrewed survey platforms for marine and offshore infrastructure projects.
Emanuel Ekpeyong, Managing Director GOSL Nigeria Limited, said, “GOSL Nigeria Limited is proud to be associated with HydroSurv for this milestone achievement in the deployment of the REAV 47 USV which will help revolutionize the way hydrographic surveys are being conducted within Nigeria and indeed West Africa.”
“USVs are the way of the future as it helps reduce human and carbon footprints and guarantees efficient seabed mapping delivering project objectives in record time at a minimal cost.”
David Hull, CEO of HydroSurv, added, “We are proud to be partnering with GOSL as our first customer in the region. The REAV-47 is a versatile, commercial-duty mid-size USV, ideally suited to support the integration of both the PingDSP and Innomar sub-bottom profiling systems. We look forward to collaborating closely with GOSL’s highly experienced survey team to maximise the platform’s capabilities across a range of operational applications.”
The REAV 47 is a versatile, battery hybrid USV designed for extended operations and demanding offshore conditions. Capable of running continuously for up to 72 hours, the vessel is powered by a 12 kilowatt Mastervolt battery system supported by a 4 kilowatt Fischer Panda generator. Its electric rim-driven propulsion system, supplied by RDT, delivers efficient, low-noise performance with reduced risk of entanglement in marine environments.
GOSL’s REAV 47 will be equipped with a sophisticated sensor suite including the Ping DSP 3DSS IDX interferometric sonar and Innomar’s Compact Parametric Sub-Bottom Profiler. This integrated payload enables the USV to conduct wide swath bathymetric mapping and high resolution sub-bottom profiling simultaneously, supporting comprehensive data acquisition for landfall and offshore development surveys. The vessel will be deployed as both an autonomous survey platform and as a force multiplier when operating in conjunction with crewed survey assets.
Navigation and control of the REAV 47 are managed through HydroSurv’s Virtual Watchkeeper vessel control system, which interfaces with Dynautics autopilot technology and a navigation and situational awareness suite from Furuno and TimeZero. The system ensures precise control and safe operation across a range of challenging maritime environments.
GOSL plans to base the REAV 47 at its operational facility in Port Harcourt. In addition to the offshore-capable REAV 47, GOSL has also procured a REAV 28 Inland Multi-Purpose USV. This smaller battery-electric vessel is purpose built for agile inland and sheltered water operations, offering a highly adaptable survey solution when combined with the endurance and capability of the REAV 47.
