Royal NIOZ and KONGSBERG sign multibeam contract

RV Pelagia

The Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), the Netherlands national Institute for oceanographic research and KONGSBERG have signed a contract for the delivery and installation of a KONGSBERGEM 302 1x2 degree multibeam echo sounder for the 66 metre long oceanographic research vessel “Pelagia” – built in 1991.

Chirped ping technology

With the installation of this equipment NIOZ is upgrading the research facilities of this multi-purpose research vessel know for its silent and smooth behaviour. Thanks to the use of new chirped ping technology it is now capable of producing a swath of 4000 m at 5 km water depth. This makes “Pelagia” an even more attractive research platform, not only for the Dutch marine research community, but also for third parties. The acquisition of the multibeam system was made possible through a grant of the Netherlands national science foundation NWO.

About NIOZ

The Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ) is an independent research institute associated with the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO).

NIOZ was founded in 1876 and is one of the oldest major European Oceanographic institutions. Its mission is to pursue curiosity-driven multidisciplinary marine research in coastal and shelf seas as well as in the open ocean through close co-operation between physicists, chemists, geologists and biologists. Wherever possible, the institute engages in policy-focused and society-driven research.

Royal NIOZ owns and operates several marine research facilities, not only to accommodate its own scientific programme but also for the oceanographic community in the Netherlands.