The State's seven-year £21 million seabed survey will begin next week when the first ship leaves Waterford harbour to start work. An Irish contractor has been awarded the main contract for data acquisition.
The ship is one of several which will chart an area 10 this island, the Minister of State at the Department of Public Enterprise, Mr Joe Jacob, said in Howth Yacht Club, Co Dublin, last night when he inaugurated the programme. Multibeam echo-sounding will be the main technique used to measure the characteristics of the seabed and its underlying rocks.
Global Ocean Technologies Ltd, an Irish marine technology company, has been awarded the main contract by the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI). It will be working with the Marine Institute on co-ordinating the project. A Dublin-based consultancy, CSA Group, has been providing logistical support and technical advice has also been given by the Canadian Centre for Marine Communications, a Newfoundland-based consortium.
Mr Jacob said the survey was designed to build the State's national capability in the marine sciences. This summer, the GSI and the Marine Institute will be managing a strategic research programme on board the institute's research ship, Celtic Voyager. This aims to build geological expertise in the third-level sector.
The State is also joining the European Consortium on Ocean Drilling.
