CSA Ocean Sciences, a marine environmental consulting and survey company, recently completed a series of geophysical surveys as part of an ongoing campaign of nearshore multidisciplinary marine surveys in support of an offshore wind development project off the Northeastern United States. Since May 2021, CSA’s R/V Dolphin and crew of expert marine surveyors has conducted over 10,000 hours of fieldwork along a critical export cable route.

This is the second fieldwork season for the recently outfitted R/V Dolphin, a 15-m turnkey multipurpose vessel ported at CSA’s regional office in East Greenwich, RI. The vessel is powered by twin diesels and a 20-kW generator and features a raised wheelhouse with a 360° view and spacious multi-use salon. To support marine geophysical missions, the R/V Dolphin is equipped with a dual head multibeam echosounder, side-scan sonar, sub-bottom profiler, gradiometer, single-channel seismic, sound velocity profiler, and underwater position systems. More about the vessel’s capabilities, which is HSSE approved by major offshore wind developers, can be found in the video below.

CSA is also conducting benthic surveys in collaboration with MMT US, which includes the collection and scientific analysis of benthic grab samples, the capture of real-time video of the seafloor, and sediment profile imaging. These data will help to characterize the benthic habitats along the export cable route and within the lease area.

“We’re excited about the developments in the Northeast, and are investing in our environmental consulting and marine survey capabilities in the region,” said Kevin Peterson, CSA’s CEO. “We are hiring additional local subject matter experts and technicians to better serve a diverse range of markets with our cutting-edge ocean technology and innovative survey vessels and, in particular, support the rapidly expanding offshore wind industry.”

In addition to the geophysical and benthic survey campaigns, CSA will support the collection of geotechnical data following the completion of the benthic campaign.