News

21 Dec 2023 Update

Since our November Update we are pleased to announce:

1. Ocius signs lease with RNZN.

   Please see Naval News: https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/12/royal-new-zealand-navy-to-trial-ocius-bluebottle/

   

   RNZN staff take delivery of Bluebottle BELLONA in New Zealand

2. Ocius signs contract with MMA Offshore.

   More details to follow in Jan 2024 Update

3. BATHY conducts its first bathymetry trials.

   Bluebottle BATHY is a result of ‘lessons learnt’ from the bathymetric mission we performed earlier this year with renewable energy powered BEACON off Japan. Trials off Freemantle were successful, but off Japan, in less-than-ideal conditions, BEACON struggled.

   Bathymetric work requires a vessel to i) power the underwater sensors, ii) drag the underwater sensors through the water, iii) keep highly accurate lines in a ‘mow the lawn’ pattern iv) keep very high bandwidth communications in real-time back to base.

   

   BB BATHY heading out of Botany Bay. She looks just like a regular Bluebottle, but she has some significant differences: in the mid compartment she has a 5kW genset, in the keel 400litres of diesel, on the transom a sound velocity transducer and on the bow, a Starlink high bandwidth satellite unit.

   

   Mapping the wreck of SS Woniora off Sydney from Bluebottle BATHY

   Ocius partnered with Seismic Asia Pacific (www.seismicapac.com/) to conduct MBES trials off Sydney with. Seismic Asia Pacific provided a Norbit i80 and Norbit B57 MBES winghead to conduct these trials with, which Bathy did with excellent results. Part of the hydrographer’s trial report was: “The system proved this ability in adverse weather conditions at the approaches to Botany Bay. Typically, with a displacement hull in adverse sea conditions, a major issue affecting survey quality is aeration or ‘bubble sweep’ over the face of the transducer. During the sea trials no aeration was observed over the transducer, indicating that the keel mounting is sufficiently deep and the vessels sea-keeping characteristics cause minimal aeration at the transducer.”

4. BB705 goes to Canberra.

   This year, Ocius was a Bronze sponsor of the Australian Industry Defence Network (AIDN) Expo at Parliament House Canberra on 27 November. Bluebottle 705 was showcased on the lawn of Parliament House.

   

   Matty Ketty, Ocius Engineer Manager and Ned Orchard, Ocius Project/Cyber Engineer with Bluebottle 705

5. International Maritime Autonomy Remote Navigation Conference at Australian Maritime College Launceston.

   Also on 27 November, Ocius Oceans (our non-defence subsidiary) presented a paper on Bluebottles’ bathymetry trials to an international audience amongst a series of presentations and panel discussions on topics including Autonomous Navigation Systems, Bathymetry & Positioning, Technology and Development.

   

   Nick Rozenauers, Ocius Oceans Manager on far left.

It’s been a great year for Ocius and our technology. Next year is looking even better.

Thanks to all our shareholders for your support, emails, well wishes and working together.

From all of us at Ocius we wish a Merry Christmas to all.

Robert Dane CEO
21 December 2023