France's Alumarine Shipyard has delivered a new hydrographic survey boat to the Port of La Rochelle.
The Bemad Naval-designed newbuild was christened Cassiopée ("Cassiopeia") after a constellation which is in turn named after a queen in Greek mythology. It has an aluminium hull, a length of eight metres, a beam of three metres, a draught of less than one metre, a crew of five, and a dual electric/diesel propulsion system.
The diesel engine is a Volvo D4 rated at 167 kW while the electric propulsion system developed by Torqeedo consists of two electric outboards, each powered by four lithium batteries. It also includes an intelligent battery management system that automatically monitors all components and communicates with the onboard computer.
Cassiopée is designed to transit at 20 to 25 knots under diesel power between the home port and the acquisition area, then shift to the electric outboards while performing scans of the seafloor.
The newbuild is also equipped with a multi-beam echosounder for collecting data used to map the underwater landscape, ensuring safe navigation in and around the port.
