MSI have been contracted by Geological Assistance and Services (GAS) in Italy to provide oceanographic services in connection with the Peace Water Project. This project will involve the construction of a pipeline to carry water from Turkey to North Cyprus. The pipeline will be located at the narrowest section of the strait formed by Turkey and the island and will provide water at a rate of 75 million m³ per year (2.38 m³/s). 

One of the deep moorings being deployed Biofouling moorings before deployment
The pipeline will be a submerged floating structure and the subsea section of the pipeline will consist of 1.6 m diameter HDPE pipe approximately 78 km long. In the shore approaching sections of the route, the pipeline will be either resting on the seabed or be trenched and backfilled below seabed level. Between the 250 m depth contours on both the Turkish and Cyprus sides, the pipeline will be suspended at a water depth of minimum 250 m. The pipeline will be spanning from vertical tethers anchored to the sea bed in spans of approximately 400 - 500 meters length each.

The oceanographic work scope involves the collection of currents at two deepwater stations and of currents and waves at two shallow water stations. Collection of current transect and CTD data is included at offshore visits. In addition, test pieces of the HDPE pipe have been moored to determine biofouling rates.

Each of the deep moorings is fitted with an RD Instruments 75kHz ADCP, Nortek Aquadopp current meter, RBR Ltd XR-420 CT logger and Argos satellite locator beacon. The shallow moorings are fitted with RD Instruments 600kHz ADCPs in bottom-mounted frames. Deployment and recovery of these frames is achieved with the use of Sonardyne lighweight acoustic release transponders.

The project was mobilised out of Sicily at the beginning of September during which the vessel Odin Finder was used for the deployment of the deep water moorings, as well as the deployment of the biofouling moorings. The vessel Gizemli was used for deployment of the shallow moorings. The 1st service visit was conducted in December, during which the equipment was recovered, data downloaded, batteries changed and all moorings redeployed. The data collected will be used as input to modeling studies being conducted by Artiproje and DHI.