Kongsberg Underwater Cameras in High Demand

Kongsberg Maritime has reported that its Standard Products team generated more orders in 2014 than any single year before it.

The company believes this record breaking performance was driven by the popularity of the Kongsberg Maritime OE14-370 Colour Zoom Camera and the long-standing support of many of the leading subsea survey, science and construction organisations, including Fugro, Oceaneering and Saab Seaeye.

Launched in 2013, the OE14-370 Colour Zoom Camera is designed to complement Kongsberg Maritime’s industry standard ROV inspection colour zoom camera, the OE14-366a.

Using the CCD technology to give improved image definition and features including a built-in field memory for slower shutter speeds, a ‘snapshot’ capability and text insertion, the new OE14-370 proved popular with ROV operators and its popularity continued to grow throughout 2014.

Jim Mann, the Global ROV Manager for Fugro Subsea, said: “In 2005 Fugro elected to standardise on the Kongsberg Maritime camera range to fit to our ROV Systems and that decision continues to hold good today. We do evaluate other options of course, but by working with the team at Kongsberg Maritime we are able to provide our ROVs, and therefore our clients, with the best viewing platform available.”

Several other Kongsberg Maritime Camera products supported the company’s record breaking year for cameras.

At Oceanology International in March, Kongsberg Maritime unveiled the new OE14-522 HD Pan and Tilt Zoom (PATZ) Camera. With a compact Omega dome design, it offers beyond hemispherical viewing and excellent optical performance in the deepest waters. It features an all new belt driven PATZ mechanism which provides smooth, accurate and infinitely variable speed controlled head movement. The OE14-522 HD PATZ provides high definition or high quality standard definition signal output to depths of 4500msw and optical coverage of 230º pan x 220º tilt.

A new high resolution monochrome CCD camera was launched in November. The OE15-100D camera is smaller yet has a deeper rated housing and wider Angle of View (AOV) in water than any of its predecessors, whilst maintaining KONGSBERG’s exceptionally high standard of build and image quality. With near SIT (Silicon Intensifier Target) performance in low light level conditions and an exceptionally wide AOV (102° in water) the OE15-100D is ideally suited to mid water navigation tasks, general observation and situational awareness as well as tether monitoring applications.

“Our standard products are established as the go-to equipment for operators requiring highly reliable, feature rich camera systems, capable of capturing the best quality underwater video or still images,” comments Mark Esslemont, Sales Manager, Kongsberg Maritime Camera Division. “We’re delighted by the performance of our Standard Products in 2014, which came from our strong technology development and commitment to quality and reliability, in addition to good relationships and close co-operation with our valued customers operating in all sectors of the subsea market.”