Fugro’s hydrographic survey services have supported nautical chart updates of navigable waters around the Krenitzin Islands, Alaska (illustration: Fugro)

Fugro has announced plans to establish a Hydrography Centre of Excellence for the Americas, supporting its strategic focus on growth in this market sector. Utilising specialist resources that include autonomous vessels and aircraft, integrated data acquisition techniques, remote processing and large data transfer, the focus is on reducing risk, increasing accuracy and streamlining project timelines for clients.

The Houston-based centre will handle a wide range of hydrographic project types, including nautical charting, cablerouting and Law of the Sea boundary claims. With continued delivery excellence as its objective, Fugro is formalising its coastal zone mapping services using complimentary geophysical and geotechnical techniques to benefit a wide range of applications including resource development, infrastructure siting, coastal management and emergency response.

Establishing the Hydrography Centre of Excellence is part of Fugro’s reorganisation of its hydrography services in the Americas, relocating key staff and assets from its San Diego office to its US headquarters in Houston, Texas. Consolidating resources to regional hubs that house a wider range of geophysical and geotechnical offerings is part of Fugro’s global effort to meet customer needs more efficiently.

“The need for hydrography services continues to increase,” says Fugro USA President Ed Saade. He cites as evidence the company’s recent collection of more than 1 million km² of high resolution bathymetry data annually, as well as involvement with seabed mapping initiatives such as the Shell Discovery XPRIZE and Seabed 2030. “Our new structure will allow us to meet growing demands for hydrography data, participate in important industry programmes and maintain focus on our core customers, most specifically NOAA.”

To support these efforts, David Millar has been appointed to serve as government accounts director for the region. He will be responsible for growing and diversifying Fugro’s government portfolio in both Land and Marine Divisions across the Americas, with a strategic emphasis on coastal zone management. Millar formerly served as the regional hydrography service line director, and is relocating from San Diego to the Washington, DC, area.

Filling Millar’s former post is Mark MacDonald. A professional engineer in geomatics, MacDonald has 20+ years with Fugro, conducting and leading projects throughout the world, and recently serving as the director of operations in San Diego. He is relocating to Houston and in his new role as the regional service line director, will not only oversee Fugro’s hydrographic service line in the Americas, but also will coordinate with Fugro’s global business development team to generate multi-disciplined opportunities across all business and service lines.