Fugro Wins 2021 Australian Subsea Business Award for Innovation and Technology

Fugro has been awarded the prestigious Craig Black Award for Innovation and Technology at Subsea Energy Australia’s 2021 Australian Subsea Business Awards.


Ben Fell, Fugro’s IRM Lead Project Engineer in Australia, receives the prestigious Craig Black Award for Innovation and Technology at Subsea Energy Australia’s 2021 Australian Subsea Business Award (Courtesy of Fugro)


Fugro was presented with the award for successfully completing the first entirely remote inspection project on 125 km of Woodside's gas trunklines utilising their new Blue Essence uncrewed surface vessel (USV), the Fugro Maali, earlier this year. Deploying USV technology on the project reduced carbon emissions by 97 % and sheltered personnel from the high-risk offshore environment.

Paul Mullins, Fugro’s Director of Remote Operations in Asia-Pacific, said: “Fugro is extremely proud to receive this award, which represents the culmination of many months of hard work, dedication and collaboration from the team.”

Fugro’s Blue Essence next-generation USVs are operated remotely from onshore remote operations centres (ROCs) and the Fugro Maali is the first Blue Essence USV in service anywhere in the world. Fugro’s USV and remote operations technology has a wide range of applications and can be used for subsea intervention, environmental surveys, and other marine operations.

Location: Australia