A CIDCO project could help chart Canada's northern waters
RIMOUSKI, QC, July 24, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - The Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, and Jean Laflamme, General Director of the Interdisciplinary Center for the Development of Ocean Mapping (CIDCO), are proud to announce that their organizations will be working together to develop a new method for underwater surveying (also known as bathymetric surveying) using floatplanes.
In the coming weeks, testing under actual conditions will be conducted at sea in Rimouski to determine whether the seabed can be charted using technology that is not ship-based. The goal of the project is to save time and money while also making marine transportation safer and more efficient.
The new floatplane survey method could be used in Canada's North to produce seabed charts that are more comprehensive and would allow planners and specialists to make better decisions concerning Canada's northern transportation system.
The partners in this project are CIDCO, the Canadian Hydrographic Service, Quebec Region, in Mont‑Joli, Géosphair Aviation, and RESON, a company specializing in sonar technology.
Quick Facts
- Transport Canada provided funding of $50,000 grant for this project under the Northern Transportation Adaptation Initiative.
- The project consists of installing instruments on a floatplane, in order to verify whether bathymetric surveys conducted with a plane meet the same standards as those done with ships.
- CIDCO is a non-profit organization that supports economic development in Quebec's maritime areas by meeting the innovation, transfer and consulting needs of the marine resources, science and technology sectors in relation to ocean mapping.
Quotes
"Improving the reliability of nautical charts will reduce the risks associated with commercial and recreational navigation in Canada's North. Detailed charts will also help commercial shipping companies to save money by transporting goods more efficiently. That's why we are proud to be participating in this research and development project."
The Honourable Lisa Raitt
Minister of Transport
"CIDCO's mission is to develop the supply of private, original and professional Canadian expertise in hydrography that will stand out on the global stage. This floatplane-based marine mapping project will enable a Canadian company to offer a new bathymetry service that is unlike anything else in the world."
Jean Laflamme
General Director
Interdisciplinary Center for the Development of Ocean Mapping (CIDCO)
Associated Link
Interdisciplinary Center for the Development of Ocean Mapping (CIDCO)
SOURCE: Transport Canada
Contacts: Jana Régimbal, Press Secretary, Office of the Honourable Lisa Raitt, Minister of Transport, Ottawa, 613-991-0700; Media Relations, Transport Canada, Ottawa, 613-993-0055; Transport Canada is online at www.tc.gc.ca. Subscribe to e-news or stay connected through RSS, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr to keep up to date on the latest from Transport Canada.; This news release may be made available in alternative formats for persons living with visual disabilities.
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