Marine Survey Vessel Charter
Hydrographic, Geophysical & Offshore Survey Support
Predator Marine provides professional survey vessel charter and marine survey support throughout the UK, with two versatile survey platforms available – PREDATOR and WINDCAT 4.
Operating from Lowestoft on the UK East Coast, our vessels are ideally positioned for projects across the North Sea and can mobilise throughout the UK for short-term assignments, extended survey campaigns and long-term projects.
Our vessels can support hydrographic, geophysical, environmental and offshore survey operations, either using client-supplied survey packages or equipment mobilised specifically for the project.
Two Survey Platforms – One Marine Partner
With both PREDATOR and WINDCAT 4 available, we can offer clients a vessel suited to the scale and requirements of each individual survey project.
WINDCAT 4 – 15m Offshore Survey Platform
WINDCAT 4 provides a larger, highly stable platform for offshore and nearshore survey operations where additional deck space, personnel capacity and equipment handling capability are required.
Originally designed as a Crew Transfer Vessel, her catamaran configuration provides excellent stability, generous working areas and comfortable accommodation for survey personnel and technicians.
WINDCAT 4 Survey Capability
• 15m stable catamaran survey platform
• Large working deck areas
• Moon pool for survey equipment deployment
• Hiab crane for equipment handling, deployment and recovery
• Suitable for client-supplied survey spreads
• Space for survey computers, acquisition systems and monitoring equipment
• Comfortable accommodation for surveyors, technicians and project personnel
• Suitable for extended offshore operations
• Excellent manoeuvrability for survey line work
• Available for short or long-term charter
The combination of her moon pool, Hiab crane and substantial deck space makes WINDCAT 4 particularly suitable for larger or more equipment-intensive survey projects.
She can provide a flexible platform for hydrographic, geophysical, environmental, windfarm and offshore infrastructure surveys.
PREDATOR
PREDATOR is our agile and proven survey platform, particularly well suited to inshore, coastal and nearshore survey operations.
Her catamaran hull provides excellent stability while her compact dimensions and shallow draft allow access to areas where larger survey vessels may be unsuitable.
PREDATOR is fitted full-time with a GeoAcoustics Over-The-Side (OTS) survey mount, allowing survey sensors to be mobilised quickly and efficiently.
PREDATOR Survey Capability
• GeoAcoustics OTS mount permanently installed
• Large aft working deck
• Stable catamaran platform
• Heated wheelhouse and survey workspace
• 240V electrical supply
• Space for survey computers and acquisition equipment
• Shallow draft for coastal and nearshore operations
• Excellent manoeuvrability
• Fast mobilisation from Lowestoft
PREDATOR provides a cost-effective platform for both short survey assignments and longer campaigns.
Survey Equipment & Systems
Predator Marine can support a wide range of survey equipment and acquisition systems.
We work closely with GeoAcoustics and can support projects requiring equipment including:
Multibeam Echosounder
Suitable for high-resolution bathymetric surveying, seabed mapping and infrastructure inspection.
Side Scan Sonar
Supporting seabed imaging, object detection, route surveys and pre/post-construction surveys.
Sub-Bottom Profiler
Suitable for shallow geological investigation, sediment profiling and subsea infrastructure projects.
Client-Supplied Survey Equipment
Clients are welcome to mobilise their own survey systems aboard either PREDATOR or WINDCAT 4.
We can work with survey teams before mobilisation to establish equipment positioning, power requirements, deck layout, sensor deployment arrangements and lifting requirements.
Survey Applications
Our vessels can support a broad range of marine survey operations, including:
• Hydrographic surveys
• Multibeam bathymetric surveys
• Side scan sonar surveys
• Sub-bottom profiling
• Seabed mapping
• Cable route surveys
• Pipeline route surveys
• Pre-construction surveys
• Post-construction surveys
• Offshore windfarm surveys
• Harbour and marina surveys
• Coastal and nearshore surveys
• Environmental and scientific surveys
• Marine habitat surveys
• Offshore infrastructure inspection
• Metocean equipment deployment and recovery
• UXO survey support
• ROV and inspection support
• Fishing gear scouting and route clearance support
Offshore Wind & Marine Infrastructure
Based on the East Coast, Predator Marine is ideally positioned to support survey operations associated with the UK’s offshore wind and marine infrastructure sectors.
Both vessels can support survey and inspection work around:
Offshore windfarms • Subsea cables • Export cable routes • Turbines • Offshore structures • Ports and harbours • Marine construction projects
WINDCAT 4 provides the deck space and offshore capability required for larger campaigns, while PREDATOR provides an agile and cost-effective platform for nearshore and shallower-water operations.
The Right Vessel for the Project
Rather than offering a single survey vessel, Predator Marine can recommend the most appropriate platform for each project.
PREDATOR is particularly suited to projects requiring a compact, manoeuvrable and cost-effective survey platform with a permanently installed OTS mount.
WINDCAT 4 is suited to larger offshore projects requiring increased deck space, additional personnel capacity, a moon pool and onboard lifting capability.
For some projects, both vessels can also be utilised to provide complementary survey and marine support capability.
Why Predator Marine?
Predator Marine combines capable vessels with experienced commercial marine crews and a flexible approach to project requirements.
Our Advantages
• Two dedicated vessel options – PREDATOR & WINDCAT 4
• Rapid mobilisation from Lowestoft
• UK-wide deployment
• Offshore wind experience
• Hydrographic and geophysical survey support
• GeoAcoustics OTS survey mount available
• Moon pool capability aboard WINDCAT 4
• Hiab lifting capability aboard WINDCAT 4
• Client equipment welcomed
• Flexible short and long-term charter
• Experienced commercial marine crews
• Practical approach to specialist mobilisations
We understand that survey operations often involve changing project requirements, specialist equipment and tight mobilisation schedules.
Our aim is simple – provide a safe, reliable and practical vessel platform that allows the survey team to concentrate on acquiring quality data.
Survey Vessel Charter from Lowestoft
Predator Marine operates from Lowestoft, providing excellent access to the East Coast, North Sea and the UK’s offshore wind sector.
Whether you require PREDATOR for a nearshore hydrographic survey, WINDCAT 4 for a larger offshore survey campaign, or a combination of vessel and marine support services, we can tailor the vessel and crew package around your project.
Discuss Your Next Survey Project
Contact Predator Marine to discuss:
Vessel availability • Survey equipment • Mobilisation • Deck requirements • Moon pool requirements • Lifting requirements • Charter rates • Short or long-term projects.