New Sonar and Seabed Mapping Systems
New multibeam echosounders, side scan sonar, sub-bottom profilers and imaging sonar for seabed mapping and geophysical survey; distributed through Dockstr.
New sonar and seabed mapping equipment through Dockstr’s survey partners; multibeam echosounders, side scan sonar, sub-bottom profilers, imaging and profiling sonar for hydrographic, geophysical and inspection work. We scope the acoustic package against the survey deliverable, the platform and the water depth you are working in.
At a glance
Sonar & Seabed Mapping - what the desk handles
Bathymetry and imagery
Multibeam for charted depth and coverage; side scan for target detection and seabed texture. Most scopes need both.
Sub-bottom and geophysics
Profilers and sub-bottom systems for cable route, burial assessment and shallow geohazard work.
Platform-matched
Hull, pole, over-the-side, towed, ROV and AUV mounted configurations scoped to the vessel or vehicle you actually operate.
Acquisition to deliverable
Sonar head, topside processor, acquisition and processing software, patch test and training quoted as one package.
Buy-side and sell-side
Two sides of the same desk
Buying
Tell us the survey scope, the depth range and the deliverable your client signs off; charted bathymetry, target detection, cable route geophysics or asset inspection. We engage the manufacturer, confirm frequency, coverage and mounting, and return a package covering sonar head, topside, acquisition software and calibration.
Selling
Sonar manufacturers looking at distribution coverage across our regions are welcome to get in touch. Separately, survey houses and contractors with surplus multibeam heads, towfish or sub-bottom systems can list them on the used-equipment side of the business.
In detail
How this segment is distributed
Mapping the seabed is a frequency decision first
Every acoustic mapping choice trades range against resolution. Low frequency reaches deep and penetrates sediment but resolves coarsely; high frequency resolves centimetres but attenuates fast and gives you a narrow working window. Getting that trade-off right is vital at the specification stage.
Shallow-water port and harbour survey, coastal hydrography, offshore cable route survey and deep-water geohazard work each land in a different part of the seabed mapping domain. A single dual-head configuration may cover more than operators expect, but is unlikely to cover all that is needed. Dockstr strives to bring clarity to where the boundary sits.
Acquisition topside; the deliverable is decided here as much as at the sonar head.
What sits in a seabed mapping package
Multibeam echosounders provide wide-swath bathymetry and increasingly the backscatter imagery alongside it. Side scan sonar, hull-mounted or towed, gives the target detection and seabed classification that multibeam alone will not deliver at the same imaging quality. Sub-bottom profilers add the layer below the seabed for burial depth, cable route and shallow geohazard assessment.
Allied with these data acquisition systems are the sensors and peripherals which determine whether the data is usable: sound velocity profilers and probes, motion reference and heading, acquisition and processing software, and the mounting hardware. A mapping order that arrives without a sound velocity strategy will very likely produce data someone has to argue about later.
Side scan imagery; target detection and seabed classification.
Mounting, calibration and delivery
Hull mounts give the cleanest geometry and the least flexibility between vessels; pole and over-the-side mounts are faster to move and demand more attention to offsets and rigidity. Towed configurations put the sensor near the seabed for deep-water imaging at the cost of layback uncertainty, which is why the positioning package matters as much as the sonar.
Where patch test, offset survey and sound velocity procedure are offered by the OEM they will be costed into the proposal. On ROV and AUV integrations, the head is matched to the vehicle’s power, comms and payload envelope with the vehicle OEM before the order is placed.
Towed bodies buy depth and imaging quality; layback has to be solved in positioning.
Sourcing across a growing partner roster
Dockstr represents multiple survey manufacturers and works to your capability requirement rather than a single catalogue. Where the honest answer is a brand we do not carry, we say so and route the enquiry accordingly; our value is the shortlist, not a badge.
As an authorised distributor, Dockstr supplies the equipment on the manufacturer’s terms. Factory warranty is preserved, commissioning and training are arranged with the manufacturer, and shipping is handled by the OEM to your stated location, with Dockstr as your commercial point of contact.
When brokerage beats a new build slot
Multibeam heads, towfish and sub-bottom systems move regularly on the secondary market as survey fleets refresh. If a delivery date is fixed and the new build slot does not meet it, our brokerage side can work the used market in parallel and present both options against the same scope.
Technical
Matching the acoustic system to the scope
Multibeam echosounder
Charted bathymetry and backscatter across a swath. Frequency chosen against depth; shallow port work and deep-water route survey sit at opposite ends of the range.
Side scan sonar
High-resolution seabed imagery for target detection, debris clearance, UXO reconnaissance and pipeline exposure. Hull-mounted, towed or vehicle-mounted.
Sub-bottom profiler
Penetration below the seabed for burial depth verification, cable route survey and shallow geohazard assessment. Chirp and parametric configurations.
Imaging and profiling sonar
Short-range acoustic imaging for ROV navigation, structure inspection and scour assessment in zero-visibility water.
Supporting sensors
Sound velocity profiler and probe, motion reference unit, heading and positioning. Quoted with the sonar; the data quality depends on them.
FAQ
Common questions
What frequency multibeam do I need?
It follows the depth range and the resolution your deliverable demands. Shallow harbour and inshore work sits at the high-frequency end for fine resolution; offshore and deep-water route survey needs lower frequency to hold coverage at depth. Dual-frequency and dual-head configurations cover a wider band where the operating profile genuinely varies.
Do I need both multibeam and side scan?
Frequently, yes. Multibeam gives you verifiable depth and coverage; side scan gives target detection and seabed texture at an imaging quality multibeam backscatter does not match. Where budget forces a choice, the deliverable decides it and we say which one carries the scope.
Can these systems be integrated onto an ROV or AUV?
Yes; vehicle-mounted multibeam, side scan and sub-bottom configurations are standard scopes. Power, comms bandwidth, payload envelope and data handling are confirmed with the vehicle manufacturer during the proposal.
What are the lead times?
Configuration-dependent. Common heads and topsides are often available from partner stock; bespoke mounts, dual-head arrangements and vehicle integrations run to a build and integration slot. The proposal carries a confirmed date from the manufacturer.
Is calibration and patch test included?
Factory calibration is supplied with the system. Where patch test, offset survey and sound velocity procedure are offered by the OEM they are costed into the proposal, along with operator training at the factory or during site acceptance.