Open Ocean Robotics Partnership Strengthens Autonomous Monitoring Solutions
ASL Environmental Sciences has joined Open Ocean Robotics on Canada's Ocean Supercluster-funded Air-Sea Ocean Monitoring System (ASOMS) project as part of the Air-Sea Ocean Monitoring System (ASOMS). Their collaboration involves incorporating ASL's Acoustic Zooplankton Fish Profiler (AZFP) into solar-powered surface vehicles owned and operated by Open Ocean Robotics for autonomous ocean monitoring in remote marine environments.
AZFPs are calibrated scientific echosounders typically deployed on moorings to collect multifrequency time series data lasting over 12 months, providing more efficient, environmentally-friendly, and safer data collection methods than previously possible. By pairing this technology with Uncrewed Platforms from Open Ocean Robotics' uncrewed platforms this partnership showcases more efficient, eco-friendly data collection methods with spatial surveys that complement temporal moored data for more thorough coverage of changing ocean conditions.
Key features of the integrated system include remote operation of an AZFP with near real-time data streaming to shore, onboard AI data processing for faster decision-making, and long-range autonomous monitoring supporting marine environmental stewardship in diverse and remote locations.
Partnership Strengthens Market Presence of Sofar Ocean Distribution System
ASL Environmental Sciences has entered into an exclusive marketing and distribution partnership with Sofar Ocean to expand the availability of cutting-edge oceanographic solutions across Canada and Alaska. At the core of this relationship is Sofar Spotter Platform - an energy efficient metocean buoy providing real-time data on waves, winds, sea surface temperature, barometric pressure.
Spotter Buoy provides 24/7 connectivity through satellite or cellular networks, with intuitive access through its dashboard and API. ASL currently maintains several Spotter Buoys as part of its lease pool for customized coastal and offshore studies; further strengthening ASL as an established provider of advanced ocean monitoring technologies while expanding Sofar's presence in northern markets.
FortisBC Energy Metocean Survey Completed Successfully
FortisBC Energy Inc. contracted ASL Environmental Sciences to conduct a six-month metocean survey from December 2023 through June 2024 to support operations and maintenance of their Vancouver Island Transmission System. ASL Environmental Sciences deployed wave buoys and subsea current profilers at six moorings located throughout three strategic spots within the Strait of Georgia near Powell River and Texada Island during this investigation.
ASL's PBM-15 polyethylene deepwater buoys were utilized in this field program to measure directional waves and currents at depths up to 400 meters in waters up to 400 meters depth, successfully recovering all equipment, anchors, mooring anchors, subsea equipment, mooring anchors with full dataset recovery, supporting numerical modeling studies for pipeline spanning and integrity assessment conducted by Worley RPS (a Tetra Tech Company). ASL also plans on adding these recovered buoys into its lease pool for use on future marine renewable energy projects.
Company Overview and Specialty Areas of Expertise
ASL Environmental Sciences has over four decades of experience providing oceanographic, acoustic, ice, and remote sensing research services. ASL Environmental Sciences offers scientific consulting for water flow measurement, numerical modeling, wave measurement analysis, remote sensing sediment transport studies, ice studies as well as sediment transport. Their clients include oil and gas companies, universities, research institutes, government agencies mining aquaculture ports and harbors among others.
Ice Profiler, Wave Profiler, Acoustic Zooplankton Fish Profiler (AZFP-nano and smart mooring systems developed with Sofar Ocean), WERA Northern Radar are just a few products produced by this company. Bristlemouth initiative provides real-time satellite-transmitted echosounder data in real time.