Clear-Com Partners with Deep BV to Enhance Communication in the Maritime Sector
Clear-Com, a leading provider of communication solutions, has announced a collaboration with Deep BV, a pioneering survey company specializing in hydrography, marine geophysics, unexploded ordnance (UXO) surveys, and precise marine positioning. Deep BV has selected Clear-Com’s Arcadia Central Station and Gen-IC virtual intercom systems to improve their operational efficiency and communication capabilities in the maritime industry.
Operating primarily in nearshore areas, Deep BV plays a crucial role in conducting essential investigations for offshore wind farms and detecting unexploded ordnance on the seabed. Taco Jillings, a representative of Deep BV, explains the use of their unique device, the Iron Lady, which tows through the water with magnetometers to detect ordnance just above the seabed.
In line with their commitment to sustainability and addressing labor shortages in the maritime sector, Deep BV transitioned to light-crew surveys in 2023, utilizing fewer crew members onboard, smaller vessels, and reduced CO2 emissions. This shift necessitated a communication system that supported remote operations from their headquarters in Amsterdam.
Having a decade-long experience with Clear-Com’s Encore analog party line system, Deep BV recognized the reliability of Clear-Com’s solutions. Seeking a modern communication system, they opted for Arcadia and Gen-IC. Frans van Houten of Ampco Flashlight Sales conducted a comprehensive demonstration for Deep BV, leading to the purchase and installation of Clear-Com’s system on their research vessel, Breaker.
The Breaker, a converted former naval ship, now operates as a 24-hour multifunctional research vessel equipped with Arcadia Central Station, HelixNet, FreeSpeak II beltpacks, and LQ Series IP Interfaces, enabling seamless communication with headquarters. By incorporating Gen-IC, the communication system can expand to connect with multiple ships in the future.
Gen-IC offers a cloud-based, virtual intercom system with licenses for various applications, facilitating communication across computers, mobile devices, and Clear-Com hardware. With up to 24 channels and 64 virtual clients, the system enables global communication via mobile internet or satellite connections.
With Clear-Com’s solutions, Deep BV can now conduct surveys with minimal crew members onboard as support engineers remotely assist from the office, ensuring data quality and system functionality. This approach not only reduces costs and improves operational efficiency but also benefits the environment through the use of smaller vessels.