STR’s investment notably includes the acquisition of iXblue’s long baseline  system; Canopus, making them the first rental company to offer the system for hire. Part of iXblue’s sparse LBL solution, Canopus brings together intelligent transponders, Ramses transceivers, Inertial Navigation Systems, and Delph Subsea Positioning Software. It is also a third-party friendly solution able to be easily integrated within existing operational fields.

The addition of iXblue’s Rovins and Rovins Nano Inertial Navigation Systems,as well as Gaps M5 ultra short baseline (USBL) system, furthers STR’s already significant investment in these technologies. The new systems join their global rental pool available from their five international service hubs.

STR’s Chief Operating Officer, Scott Johnstone says, “As we have entered 2022, we have welcomed the investment by Baird which will vault the growth trajectory of STR internationally in terms of our products and resources. This investment with iXblue is STR’s largest to date in our 20 years of offering our customers iXblue products. As a global leader whose proven technology is recognized worldwide within our industry, their systems are great assets to have and they’ve always met our customer’s requirements. In 2021 we invested in the Gaps M5and these systems have been widely utilized by our customers on geophysical surveys for offshore wind farm site investigations, and other tracking and towed services”.

Based on fibre-optic gyroscope technology, iXblue navigation solutions have become standard in the offshore industry. An asset for offshore wind farms, Gaps M5 is a ready-to-use and calibration-free system that offers accurate location, positioning and unrivaled horizontal tracking of subsea assets. It integrates an Attitude and Heading Reference System (AHRS) for stable heading roll and pitch compensation and a true north reference.

“STR has taken a position of expansion in the past year, and we are thrilled to help bolster their rental fleet to support their international growth,” says iXblue’s Regional Sales Manager, Maverick Piccininni. “It shows their commitment to their customers; by investing in a dynamic fleet of equipment they are able to adapt and respond quickly to their needs.” Added Piccininni.