Fugro is significantly expanding its role in the Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative (FSMI), a multiyear effort by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) to map the state’s seafloor for improved coastal resilience, infrastructure planning and environmental protection. Building on its previous award of 14,000 square kilometres of airborne lidar data for the FSMI, Fugro is now conducting vessel-based surveys across 42,000 square kilometres offshore Florida.
This ambitious new data acquisition campaign covers five of the six Florida DEP programme regions, including the entire Atlantic Coast, the Florida Keys and portions of the Gulf Coast. Initially launched in Q4 2024 with a single survey vessel, the project has rapidly scaled to a multivessel operation. Field activities are being efficiently managed using Fugro’s innovative VirGeo® platform, which provides real-time project tracking and quality control information to both Fugro and Florida DEP.
The devastating impacts of the 2024 hurricane season highlight the critical need for proactive coastal planning in the state. By collaborating with partners like Fugro who have large-scale mapping capabilities, the FSMI is set to deliver essential data to adapt to Florida’s evolving coastline and safeguard its communities and economy.
“We’re proud to contribute to the FSMI, an investment in Florida’s future and a programme that sets an example for other coastal regions,” said Mark MacDonald, Director of Hydrography for Fugro in the Americas. “The programme’s fit-for-purpose data collection, deployed at scale, directly supports more effective coastal adaptation and mitigation strategies, maximising benefits to the state.”
Fugro is conducting 65% of the FSMI’s vessel-based programme. This significant contribution underscores Fugro’s expertise and commitment to advancing coastal resilience. Data collection is expected to be completed in late 2025, with final deliverables in 2026.
