What Are Survey Ships?
Survey ships are mainly used for studying, researching, and inspecting oceanic features.
The Ocean floor is rife with physical, geological, geospatial, topographical, hydrological, hydrographical, chemical, biological, and environmental typicality that captivates the interest of the scientific, research, and engineering domain now and then.
Moreover, beyond the study, the knowledge encompassing the ocean’s characteristics is utilised for ocean and coastal engineering, offshore engineering, dredging, defence, fisheries and marine agriculture, and multitudes of oceanographic and environmental applications.
Furthermore, survey vessels are vital for special situations like search operations for a plane or ship wreckage. Search operations are followed mainly by rescue operations involving salvaging the wreckage and debris from the location.
To date, the ocean search operation of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370, which mysteriously disappeared in March 2014 and was presumed to have crashed somewhere in or around the Indian Ocean, remains the largest in history, involving the assistance of several nations and incurring millions of dollars. Since the aircraft’s wreckage was never appropriately traced, the search operation remained inconclusive, and the rescue operation was never carried out. Â Â Â
Survey vessels are mainly used to assimilate data. Data, as we know, is the primary basis for all sorts of research and study work related to the oceans.
The greater the volume of data we have, the easier it is for us to understand the oceans’ features and various other attributes. Thus, from both an application and research point of view, the visibility of our scope increases.
Data from the oceans can be mined in various forms, be it physical, acoustic, radiographical, optical, or visual. These data pools are then exploited and processed as required.Â
Before we briefly touch upon the features of survey ships, it is important that we have a review of the broad critical areas of application that these vessels have:Â
Hydrography
This involves an in-depth study of various aspects related to the physical nature of the ocean floor. These include depth variations, seabed topology, underwater geography (ridges, depressions, trenches, etc.), sediment and siltation, the geology of submerged features, seismic activity, and the presence of wrecks.
Studies related to ocean depth are known as bathymetry. The detailed study of ocean floor characteristics is known as seabed mapping or imaging, which gives a clear picture of the seabed’s physicality, including underwater morphology, terrain, and geological formations.
The means to study underwater features have significantly evolved and today involve a wide array of techniques, from SONARs, sound sensors, and hydrophones relying on advanced developments but based on the age-old principles of underwater acoustics to cutting-edge underwater imaging technologies.
Moreover, advanced computational techniques and smart technologies have also made data extraction and processing easier.
The hydrographical capabilities of survey ships have opened up a large number of avenues in the utility areas of maritime navigation (nautical charting), oil and gas explorations, setting up and maintaining offshore structures, coastal and ocean engineering, including ports and harbour infrastructure, dredging, military applications, monitoring seismic activity, and search and rescue operations.Â
Studying the ocean environment
This includes observations of waves, tides, and current patterns, the hydrodynamics of the underwater, and the overall physics and chemistry of the water body, such as temperature variations, pressure fluctuations, circulations and vortices, salinities, chemical compositions, etc.
The theoretical study of the ocean environment is the main part of oceanographic studies. It is utilised mainly for research and development work, adding value to the furtherance of the earth sciences. Moreover, ocean environment studies are also intrinsic to meteorology, as oceans influence global climatic phenomena.Â
Marine biology
Marine biology is a vast and interesting field. The oceans are thriving habitats for countless forms of underwater life, including flora and fauna. Thus, considered a parallel to the hydrographical application of marine surveys, the in-depth study of marine ecology is indispensable for the broad spectrum of research and development in the biological world.
Using the same means as discussed in hydrography, marine biologists have complete visibility of the aquatic ecosystem comprising multitudes of organisms co-habiting in habitats and holistically adducing to the broad ecological balance of our planet.
Marine biology is also essential from an application point of view regarding the fishing industry (a huge part of the global food and supplies chain), marine agriculture, and the associated consumer economy. Initial marine surveys have led to the discovery of large habitats of fishes and other consumable marine organisms, which paved the way for developing fisheries and aquaculture farms.
Furthermore, studies in underwater biology have also led to numerous breakthroughs in medical research, with the discovery, extraction, and supply of several marine organisms with medicinal values.Â
Environmental studies
The earth’s ocean cover is an intrinsic part of our ecosystem. The health of our oceans is essentially a crucial determinant of our planet’s overall climatic and environmental conditions.
Survey ships are often used for sampling and monitoring purposes to assess water quality and pollution levels, along with other parameters employing various measures like sampling equipment, sensors, remote sensing, etc.
Moreover, the conditions of aquatic flora and fauna are also assessed as these are critical indicators that reflect the impact of human behaviour and its consequent implications, such as climate change or global warming, on the ecosystem, of which marine habitats are one of the most important subsets.
Speaking of climate change, some critical parameters like temperatures, ice levels, and so on show us how the dramatic changes in the earth’s atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere add up in the long run, as seen in these enormous natural reserves.
Thus, environmental scientists, experts, and climate change professionals use survey ships to monitor the effects of changing circumstances on marine ecosystems.Â
From a design point of view, survey vessels can be of various kinds. They are not too big lengthwise but have a bluff form as they do not have requirements for speed and, more importantly, are required to house a litany of equipment, systems, machinery, laboratory and sampling facilities, crew and personnel accommodations, and so on.
The hull-form design varies widely based on requirements. Survey ships suited to complicated requirements have more complex designs and are quite big. Since all research vessels, including survey ships, are required to stay afloat for a prolonged period, they must have high endurance.
This translates to larger dedicated spaces for stores and supplies and, of course, fuel tankage that can ensure the vessel’s sustainability for longer periods of time, as survey vessels require being in service for days and months at a stretch.
As a higher proportion of power consumption in survey vessels is expended in onboard hotel loads, all survey vessels require multiple types of machinery, like heavy-duty auxiliary engines for continuous power supply, generators, gen-sets, etc.
Thus, it is important that fuel bunkering in survey vessels is mostly planned with the objective of catering to the high power consumption on board and operating all equipment, machinery, and systems on board for various purposes from time to time.
For example, survey vessels, irrespective of purpose, have a wide range of complex electronics and telecommunication systems for surveillance purposes and interfaces for data processing that must be operational around the clock. Thus, they have high power supply requirements from reliable sources.
However, for all practical purposes, survey vessels have options for replenishment at sea from other vessels or sources.Â
Survey vessels require a high amount of payload on board in terms of equipment, systems, and cranage, and thus, they have high levels of strengthening in areas like the main deck. For vessels operating in icy conditions, survey vessels are ice-classed and have external strengthening like the ice belt to both provide structural strength and ply through ice waters without any impediment.Â
The main area of interest encompassing survey ships is the systems associated with them to conduct survey and research work.
The equipment and means available on board vary from vessel to vessel and the purpose it is suited to serve. A survey vessel is equipped with a host of equipment like:Â
- Sonar, echo sounders, and hydrophones study and analyse underwater features employing basic acoustic principles. Over time, these technologies have evolved to be cutting-edge and based on modern computational and digital technologies. Sonars can be of various types, such as single-beam, multi-beam, or side scan.
- Single beams are used for smaller patches on the seafloor and smaller objects, including marine organisms, while multi-beams and side scans are used for mapping larger expanses of the seabed.Â
- Sensor and imaging the underwater characteristics using top-notch ultra-high resolution visual and sensory means.
- Samplers and profilers to collect rock samples and sediments for study
- Deployment of AUVs, ROVs, and submersibles to inspect underwater terrain.Â
- CTD sondes to measure temperatures, pressures, conductivity, and so on.Â
- Magnetometers and seismic apparatus to measure seismic and volcanic activity under the oceans.Â
- Various equipment for measuring vibration levels.Â
- Buoys, drifters and accelerometers to study waves and currents.Â
- Satellite and telecommunication systems to study geographical and geospatial data.Â
- Weather equipment to study meteorological data in dedicated survey vessels.Â
- Computing devices, laboratories, etc.Â
You might also like to read-
- What are Offshore Vessels?
- What Are Nuclear Vessels?
- What is A Hospital Ship?
- What Are Bunker Ships?
- What are Semi-Displacement Vessels?
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About Author
Subhodeep is a Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering graduate. Interested in the intricacies of marine structures and goal-based design aspects, he is dedicated to sharing and propagation of common technical knowledge within this sector, which, at this very moment, requires a turnabout to flourish back to its old glory.
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Disclaimer :
The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability or availability with respect to the website or the information, products, services, or related graphics contained on the website for any purpose. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk.
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