Navy Conducts Subsea Survey of Devices, Mooring Systems 

Two weeks before the Oregon pilot project concluded, the Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC) deployed a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) at the project site to conduct underwater inspections of the devices and mooring systems.

After conducting dry tests of the ROV, the rest of the survey equipment, including a subsea navigation system and depressor weights, was loaded onto the support vessel, OSU’s R/V Pacific Storm.

Before heading to the project site, the team launched the ROV from the vessel and conducted a wet test in the harbor with the ship tied dockside.

The next day, the team transited to the NNMREC ocean test site to observe the configuration of the devices and surface buoys.  After discussing detailed procedures for the dives (e.g., ship positions, ROV approach, and inspection procedures), they practiced launch and recovery of ROV and finalized the survey plan.

The ROV inspections were conducted over the course of two days (Monday 9/17 – Tuesday 9/18), and included subsea and surface video surveys of the Azura prototype and Ocean Sentinel hulls, mooring lines, and anchors, as well as the surrounding seafloor.