Marine UXO Survey Services

Safeguarding Your Marine Projects

Our services are crucial for ensuring the safety of personnel and equipment while protecting the marine environment. By using advanced technology and experienced professionals, we meticulously plan and execute surveys that identify potential hazards, ensuring that survey data is fit for the detection of UXO through well-defined data quality factors. Effective survey planning is essential for defining threshold values for sensor data quality factors, which are critical for the success of UXO surveys. This allows for informed decision-making and effective risk management.

Importance of Marine UXO Risk Mitigation Surveys

Many people are surprised to learn that there are still thousands of unexploded bombs, mines, and other munitions littering the seabed from past conflicts.

UXO contamination can be extremely dangerous, even decades after they were dropped or fired. Any disturbance to the seabed during construction or dredging projects has the potential to trigger an explosion or release harmful substances into the marine environment. This not only poses a threat to workers but also has serious consequences for marine life and ecosystems.

While initial maps can provide insight into areas affected by bombing, for many construction sites, UXO specialists are required to evaluate whether additional UXO hazard sources, such as naval mines or artillery shells, may be present. Typically, if your site is in a moderate or high-risk area, it is strongly recommended that you conduct a detailed UXO risk assessment. This will help to identify and mitigate potential dangers effectively.

Marine UXO surveys are essential due to the potential risk posed by unexploded ordnance on the seabed. By pinpointing the survey position of potential UXO targets, non-intrusive surveys play a critical role in understanding the potential UXO risk and helping to influence the next steps, from target investigation of ferrous anomalies to UXO clearance activities.

Comprehensive UXO Surveys

We offer a range of non-intrusive UXO survey services onshore, nearshore, and offshore to help mitigate UXO risk for our clients. Our extensive experience spans the UK and northern Europe, where we have successfully completed numerous projects in challenging environments.

We aim to survey with minimal disturbance to the seabed, marine life, and other sea users. We tailor the approach to the specific needs of each project, ensuring comprehensive coverage and accurate results. With a commitment to safety and accuracy, our clients receive the most reliable survey data possible, enabling them to proceed with their projects confidently.

Coastal onshore and intertidal UXO surveys present a set of unique challenges due to the distinct nature of these environments. One significant challenge is the constantly changing tidal conditions, which can impact access to survey sites and the accuracy of data collection. Tidal fluctuations necessitate precise scheduling to ensure survey teams can work safely and efficiently, often within narrow time windows. Additionally, the dynamic nature of coastal and intertidal zones, characterised by frequent sediment movement and erosion, can shift UXO or bury them deeper, complicating detection and mapping efforts.

Accessibility issues also come into play, as some coastal regions may be difficult to reach or have restrictions due to environmental protections. These factors demand a tailored survey method for each project, ensuring the safety of survey teams while maintaining minimal disturbance to local ecosystems. Such complexity underscores the importance of thorough planning, advanced technology, and experienced personnel to successfully navigate the intricacies of coastal and intertidal UXO surveys, along with risk mitigation strategies tailored to the marine environment.

The Latest Technology for Drone UXO Surveys

The traditional G858 magnetometer is augmented by the latest in UAV technology to enhance UXO detection capabilities in intertidal areas, such as the Sensys R4 Magnetometer.

This ultra-lightweight magnetometer, also known as the MagDrone R4, can be attached to any drone capable of carrying a payload over 2 kg, significantly enhancing our drone UXO surveys. The MagDrone R4 features a carbon fibre sensor tube with two built-in sensors and a folding mechanism for easy transportation. This technology allows for rapid and safe mapping of larger areas, increasing efficiency and reducing costs.

Nearshore UXO Survey

From strong currents to unpredictable weather, the dynamic nature of shallow coastal waters and various marine environments presents a range of unique challenges for UXO surveys.

Tidal cycles must be meticulously planned to ensure accurate and efficient survey operations, while the shallow water depths restrict the manoeuvrability of survey vessels. The potential presence of active or abandoned underwater infrastructure further complicates these operations, adding another layer of complexity.

Planning and appreciation of these challenges are critical for the success of nearshore UXO surveys, and our experienced personnel are well-equipped to handle them. Our nearshore UXO surveys typically involve a transverse gradiometer (TVG) frame equipped with two Geometrics G882 magnetometers. In areas where deploying a frame is not possible, we use tightly spaced single magnetometers. Additional sensors like multibeam echosounders, side scan sonar, and sub-bottom profilers provide comprehensive data for accurate mapping and risk assessment.

UXO Surveys in Built-up Areas

Conducting UXO surveys in built-up areas, such as ports or industrial sites, presents several challenges, primarily due to interference. Built-up areas often contain significant amounts of ferrous material in buildings, infrastructure, and buried utilities. This abundance of metal creates background "noise" that can mask or interfere with UXO detection signals. Due to post-war construction and development, UXO may be buried deeper, which can exceed the detection range of non-intrusive survey methods.

This means that a non-intrusive magnetometer survey may not be the best solution for detecting UXO in these areas, and alternative technology may be necessary. For such projects, in the past, we've collaborated with Kraken Robotics to deploy their Sub Bottom Imager (SBI) system. This sophisticated 3D chirp technology creates high-resolution images of the sub-seabed, allowing accurate target identification. The system can be deployed from vessels or shoreside cranes, with data processed to ensure precise target listings for further investigation.

Offshore UXO Survey

Offshore, larger vessels allow for more extensive deployment capabilities, which means that surveys can be conducted more straightforwardly and efficiently. However, offshore surveys come with their own unique set of challenges. From maintaining a consistent height above the seabed to ensuring coverage of large areas, offshore UXO surveys require precise planning and tight control.

Our team has experience in using multiple EIVA ScanFish to maximise productivity, leveraging semi-automated flying for efficient surveying. For large-scale, non-ferrous surveys, PanGeo’s custom-built ROTV, SeaKite, offers exceptional performance, acquiring up to 130km of SBI data per day in optimal conditions. The ability to cover such vast areas swiftly and accurately is crucial for large marine projects, where time and precision are of the essence.

Why Choose SEP Hydrographic?

Our team has decades of experience in potential UXO surveying under challenging marine conditions. We work closely with trusted UXO consultants to deliver a quality end-to-end service, ensuring comprehensive risk mitigation for your projects. Our in-house geophysicists ensure meticulous quality control, providing a complete survey solution. With a commitment to innovation and excellence, SEP Hydrographic stands out as a leader in marine UXO survey services, dedicated to safeguarding your projects and the marine environment.

Get in Touch

Ready to ensure the safety and success of your marine projects? Contact us today to learn more about our marine UXO survey services, detailed research capabilities, and how we can help mitigate UXO risks efficiently and effectively. Our team is here to answer any questions and provide the support you need to move forward with confidence.

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