Canada’s Ocean Supercluster Announces XOCEAN XO-G2 Project
Watch the Live Announcement Here…
One of Four Ocean Supercluster Projects Announced Today in Dartmouth
(Dartmouth, NS) – Canada’s Ocean Supercluster announced four projects today including XOCEAN’s XO-G2 Project coming from its Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program stream. With increased demand on the ocean for aquaculture, harvesting metals and energy extraction, companies need safer, lower cost, carbon neutral uncrewed solutions for collecting ocean data. This project will develop the next generation of Uncrewed Surface Vessel (USV), that addresses these requirements operating over the horizon with a range of over 3,000 nautical miles without a support vessel.
The total project value is $3.4 million with the Ocean Supercluster providing $2 million in funding and the balance coming from project partners. Led by XOCEAN’s Canadian business together with partners ABCO Industries, DMR Boat Design, Ocean Floor Geophysics (OFG), and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the project aims to develop a fully integrated platform, controlled and operated by over the horizon satellite communications technology with the capability of an underwater towed body of sensors. This project will supply ocean data to clients using a platform that provides the capability to survey faster, deeper, further offshore with negligible carbon emissions.
These advancements to XOCEAN’s first USV, the XO-450, will allow access to a larger market and deliver a greater breadth of services, creating more than 50 direct jobs over the next four years. XOCEAN is targeting the fabrication of a 100 USV fleet and the opening of a Control Room in Nova Scotia to support global operations.
The XO-G2 towed body will house OFG’s RM Hypermag, a scalable magnetic vector gradiometer that leverages their expertise in marine magnetics for autonomous vehicles. RM Hypermag is the next generation of OFG’s Self-Compensating Magnetometer (SCM) system for autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), USVs, and ROVs. Improved depth of burial and tracking for cables and pipelines, UXO detection and characterization will all benefit from its high sensitivity, noise rejection, and “strap-down” configuration allowing for tight integration into the vehicle.
Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is an industry-led transformative cluster focused on tackling the shared challenges across ocean sectors through a collaborative program designed to accelerate the development and commercialization of globally-relevant solutions, while also building a highly-capable, inclusive workforce. To encourage innovation and trigger new industry investment during these challenging times, the Ocean Supercluster supplemented its core programs with an additional project stream called Accelerated Ocean Solutions Program (AOSP). This enables the development of smaller projects on a shorter timeline that deliver tangible outcomes, while continuing to build resiliency in our ocean sectors.
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Quotes
“Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is energizing the ocean economy through its support of innovative ventures, like the XOcean project, that will bring our country to the forefront of marine technology with a new Made-in-Canada fleet of unmanned surface vessels. This project will create good jobs and provide an innovative and reliable data collection solution to a real-life ocean environment challenge.” The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
“Canada’s Ocean Supercluster is excited to announce the XOcean Project – a project that will increase the ability to survey further and deeper offshore, providing an innovative solution that not only supports efforts toward a low carbon economy, but will also generate significant benefits including fifty direct jobs.” Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster
“The support from the OSC is coming at the perfect time in our accelerated growth trajectory. The resiliency and flexibility of our business model continues to be proven across the globe throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as companies working offshore seek out safer, more cost-effective ways to operate with lesser impact on climate.” Sarah MacDonald, COO, XOCEAN
“We are excited to be a part of the advanced innovation of this project. ABCO sees a significant opportunity to drive growth within our company by partnering with XO to develop their next generation of USV. Our role will be to draw on our years of experience in boat building to design and manufacture the hull for the new XO-G2 USV. The anticipated result of the project will allow us to become more competitive in the marine industry and enable new proprietary product development. We look forward to what the future holds for these new vessels.” ABCO Industries President, Graham Gerhardt
“XOCEAN and OFG have worked together in the Gulf of Mexico successfully providing buried pipeline detection by magnetics for a major energy company. The AOSP program allows us to build on that proven partnership to develop new systems to capture new markets internationally, while also significantly increasing capacity and knowledge here in Canada.” Matthew Kowalczyk, CEO, OFG
About XOCEAN:
Using Uncrewed Surface Vessels (USVs), XOCEAN provides turnkey data collection services to surveyors, companies and agencies. From mapping the seabed to environmental monitoring, our platform offers a safe, economic and carbon neutral solution to collecting ocean data. For further information please visit www.xocean.com. For interviews please contact media@xocean.com
About ABCO:
ABCO Industries Inc. is a world-class supplier and manufacturer of engineered metal products. The ABCO Marine Group is proud to be celebrating over 60 years of service to the marine industry and aims to provide customers with the highest standards of quality and value. With a skilled work force dedicated to building safe, robust, and durable welded products, ABCO has developed a comprehensive line of aluminum boats. ABCO takes pride in the ability to design and manufacture custom products to meet clients’ needs and promote innovation. For further information please visit www.abco.ca.
For more information, contact:
Colin Ross, R&D Coordinator
Email: info@abco.ca
About Ocean Floor Geophysics:
Since its inception OFG has consistently developed and operated innovative marine geophysical systems to provide new perspectives to our clients. We provide data acquisition and analysis services that were previously unavailable by integrating magnetic, EM, CSEM/MT, gravity, chemical, and hydrographic sensors and systems deployed on AUVs, ASV/USVs, ROVs and towed systems. OFG provides you with tools to lower your exploration, inspection, and development risk. Better data. Better decisions. For more information on OFG visit www.oceanfloorgeophysics.com.
For more information, contact:
Matthew Kowalczyk, CEO
Email: matthew.kowalczyk@oceanfloorgeophysics.com
About DMR Boat Design:
DMR has developed a marine hull and propulsion design that increases performance and stability.
For more information, contact:
Sue Slaunwhite, Co-Founder
Email: dmrboatdesignltd@outlook.com