Metas

Invention

Solutions for subsea monitoring and acoustic data collection. Marine Ecosystem Technologies AS – METAS – develops and manufactures underwater devices which use acoustic sensors for monitoring the subsea environment concerning presence and location of biomass (e.g. zooplankton or fish), sediments, or pollutants (e.g. oil spill). In addition, sensors for temperature, water pressure, salinity, and current speed can also be integrated.

The product portfolio comprises three main devices:

The Acoustic Buoy
Is a free floating sensor carrier which can be placed in the whole water column from the surface to 1.500 meter of depth. It enables precise species-specific fish stock estimates and doesn’t require or disturb surface vessels.

The Searching Lander
Iis a sea-bottom deployed sensor base to monitor the behaviour of biomass related to ship and trawl traffic. It also serves for environmental monitoring in conjunction with subsea activities of the petroleum industry.

The Multi-Usage System for Towed vehicles (MUST)
Is a mooring device for research on different fish species and zooplankton. Maximum towing depth is 1.000 meters; the position can be controlled and stabilized from the vessel via rudders.

 Applications

The products are produced and manufactured in the Bergen region, with local suppliers for most of the parts needed. This is a result of the METAS ideology and business strategy to support local business. “Core of our business idea is value creation for the region: to support local business and contribute to create new regional employment opportunities. This is very important for me personally “, says founder/researcher Terje Torkelsen. METAS has already had an impact on local industry; some of their suppliers have been able to avoid employee lay off during the challenging times after the finance crisis, due to orders from METAS.
The company’s flying start seems to continue. So far this year (May 1st. 2010), METAS has generated revenue of NOK 14mill. At the moment their focus is to conclude a large order by NORAD for delivery and subsea deployment in Angola. In the spring of 2010, METAS had a major delivery for an oil company in Brasil. METAS has managed to conclude an exclusivity agreement with SIMRAD on the use of the eco sounder technology which METAS offer. “SIMRADs technology is the standard (97/98%) world wide within this sector, so this is an agreement we are very satisfied having concluded”, says Torkelsen.

 Interested in this technology?

Visit  www.metas.no or click here to contact buisness development manager Simen Malmin.

METAS was established June 2009, and managed to manufacture and deliver products to their first customers only a few months later. This quick delivery was possible due to the initial development of the current product portfolio at the Institute of Marine Research. The company was able to generate revenues of NOK 8mill in 2009, making METAS the most successful of the nine spin-out companies BTO established in 2009.