Marine Industries Global Market Analysis - Marine Institute

76 MARINE INDUSTRIES GLOBAL MARKET ANALYSIS
The seven-year, €32 million survey of Ireland’s seabed formally commenced its
fourth year of data acquisition in May 2003 and was the largest marine survey ever
undertaken anywhere in the world. 47 The Celtic Explorer, the main survey vessel, was
one of six ships and one aircraft employed in the survey and detailed studies of
420,000 sq km of the seabed have been completed.The shallow-water Phase 2 is
now underway.
EEZ survey is a particularly difficult market to value. Considerable survey work is
required by nations to prove-up the basis for their claims and this may be carried out
by survey vessels operated by national hydrographic offices or navies, by research
organisations, by commercial contractors or a combination of all three.Whatever
resources are used these surveys, although few in number, are of significant scope
and cost.
A further complicating factor in market valuation is the seeming secrecy reported by
some informed individuals. However, some costs (such as the major Irish survey
discussed earlier) are in the public domain and from this and known tender
opportunities a view of expenditure can be given. Overall, we expect a general rise in
spend over the period.
Offshore windfarms – €1.6 million (2004).The identification and assessment of
locations suitable for offshore windfarms (and in the future wave and ocean current
devices) involves the S&P industry in the mapping of the seabed environment.
There are many other small activities.These include location and mapping of
shipwrecks and downed aircraft, sea bed mining of minerals ranging from diamonds
to sand & gravel, installation of electricity cables to offshore islands, etc. Due to their
small size or intermittent nature we do not value such activities in this report.
Although there has been strong development in the business of supplying
electronic charts, there is little evidence to date of the commercial survey contractors
becoming involved in a sector that offers significant business opportunities and
diversification potential.
11.5 TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGES
Ocean survey is a technology business with large amounts of money invested is
survey vessels’ data gathering and processing systems.
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