How Strange It Is. When The ‘Something’ You Want To Happen Most… Is ‘Nothing’.

Helping ships to avoid anchoring, fishing and working over subsea cables that they already know are there, because the cables appear on their charts – that’s one thing.

Helping ships to avoid anchoring, fishing and working over subsea cables that they don’t know are there, because the cables do not appear on their charts, well – that’s something quite different.

Here’s how UltraMAP is working towards being world class – at both.

UltraMAP. Focusing Relentlessly on Reducing The World’s Subsea Cable Strikes – To Zero.

UltraMAP’s flagship software, AssetMonitor and UltraMAP’s 24/7 monitoring services work hand-in-hand.

Both are important.

Because one supports the other.

Then, on top of that, there are the ship’s own on-board navigation charts.

Ships use their on-board navigation charts to avoid collision with the hazards and seabed assets there highlighted.

All subsea cables should be marked on a vessels navigational charts, and new cables should be added as they are commissioned.

But what if navigational charts are misread?

And what if cables and other assets aren’t marked on the charts?

(Believe us, it does happen.

A lot).

It’s a dangerous scenario.

How Do We at UltraMAP Know That Some Cables and Assets Don’t Appear on a Vessel’s Own Navigational Charts?

As part of the global service UltraMAP provides, we communicate with those vessels close to our customer’s cables that are exhibiting potentially damaging behaviour.

We calmly notify these vessels of their proximity to subsea cables using our own systems and software (AssetMonitor) showing the position of our customer’s cables.

And it really is amazing how often the reply from the vessels we contact indicate that they have no knowledge of the cable at all.

Or that they know of it – but think they are a safe distance away.

It really is a case of.

‘If it’s not on the chart… it’s not there.”

A Global Problem.

Instances where cables, or parts of cables, are not marked on a vessel’s own navigational charts are not isolated to particular areas of the world.

This is a global problem.

It’s a problem we embrace at UltraMAP, though.

For two reasons.

First, the sole purpose that UltraMAP exists is to reduce the world’s cable strikes to zero. So flagging uncharted assets and hazards to vessels threatening an UltraMAP customer’s assets is part of who we are.

It is what we do.

Second, we are – automatically – continually ‘recharting’ huge areas of the sea bed. Whenever we discover uncharted assets, we work with our customers and numerous charting authorities to have all navigational charts and records updated.

It’s a challenge in some parts of the world where commercial entities are responsible for chart updates.

But, of course, the interdependency of these two goals (stopping all strikes… and mapping all assets) brings us, and all UltraMAP clients, closer to what we all want – zero cable strikes.

That’s just the way it is with any brand that is committed to, and serious about, assurance.

Because in UltraMAP’s world, the ‘something’ we want to happen most… really is ‘nothing’.

Get in touch to see how UltraMAP could help protect your subsea assets.