Sailing through open waters surrounded by nothing but blue ocean may sound like a dream. However, without the right knowledge, safety measures and navigational aids (navaids), the sea can quickly become dangerous. Even in smaller waterways, there is little room for error. Navigation problems can therefore have serious consequences.
Marine navigation has evolved significantly over time. While aids to navigation (AtoN) were originally designed to improve safety at sea and help vessels navigate safely through preferred channels, they now also support international trade and global commerce.
Our latest port and harbour projects
At Hydrosphere, we have completed several exciting navaid projects in recent months.
One of our latest projects involved supplying a Mobilis JET 9000 navigation buoy. As one of the largest buoys in the JET series, it now marks an outfall at the Lune Deep. This deep-water channel provides access to the busy Port of Heysham, Fleetwood Port and the Port of Lancaster.
Navigating these approaches can be challenging. Extensive sandbanks, mudflats, fast-moving tides and a narrow but extremely deep channel create difficult conditions for mariners.
Previous buoys installed on single-point moorings frequently drifted into the deeper part of the channel. As a result, the mooring chain often remained under constant tension, increasing the risk of damage to both the buoy and the mooring system.
To overcome this issue, Hydrosphere carried out a detailed mooring study. The study concluded that a two-part mooring system would provide a more suitable solution. This design allowed the buoy to remain positioned at the channel edge, safely marking both the utility outfall and the safe route through the Lune Deep Channel.
Supporting offshore cable projects
Beyond ports and harbours, Hydrosphere continues to support a wide range of navigational aid projects offshore.
Since March 2020, we have worked with Nemo Link, a joint venture between the British National Grid and Belgian company Elia. Through this project, we supplied several Mobilis JET 9000 and JET 2500 navigation buoys on a rental basis for deployment in UK waters.
The client used these buoys to mark specific locations along the power cable route connecting the UK and Belgium.
To provide continuous oversight, we equipped the special mark buoys with satellite monitoring technology. This system allows the client to monitor buoy positions at all times.
During the rental period, one buoy was accidentally moved from its designated location. Fortunately, the integrated Sabik M850 light and LightGuard Monitoring position alerts immediately identified the issue. Working closely with the client, our team quickly resolved the problem and safely returned the buoy to its correct position, where it remains today.
We have also been heavily involved in many AtoN projects in offshore locations, helping ships navigate these waters and steer clear of hazardous sites such as oil and gas platforms or offshore wind farms. Most recently, we supplied three JET 9000s to mark an oil rig that was being decommissioned in the North Sea. With three-metre diameter hulls and 9,000 kilograms of buoyancy, these buoys are ideal for use in offshore and deepwater locations where a highly visible navigation buoy is required. These buoys also include monitoring and AIS capabilities to allow for remote observation away from the harsh conditions of the site.
Contact Hydrosphere today to discover the right navigational aid solution for your next project.
