WASSP - multibeam sonars

Multibeam sonar manufacturer WASSP Ltd has announced details of the company’s latest range of multibeam sonars, now for all commercial applications.

The company has been extremely successful in the commercial fishing sector with more than 550 units sold. WASSP Ltd's parent company, ENL Group, has invested heavily in the new range to strengthen its number-one position in the commercial fishing sector and build a product tailored to the survey and workboat market with new features and functions.

“Although WASSP was originally designed for commercial fishing, when the company first started promoting WASSP globally in 2006, most of the interest came from scientists and surveyors. That was mainly because WASSP multibeam sonar technology was such a new concept for commercial fishermen compared with the split-beam or single-beam sonar traditionally used in this market,” says ENL Group CEO Gareth Hodson.

“In fact, the first two WASSP systems we sold in 2006 were to a survey company in the Middle East.”

With ENL Group’s expertise known for providing leading marine electronics in the commercial fishing sector for over 65 years, the company has continued to focus on this sector establishing a strong customer base and world leading distribution partners to support the product.

WASSP Ltd can now offer an advanced and backward compatible WASSP solution to its existing commercial fishing target market, while WASSP Ltd product management team have focused on enhancing the common functions and features also used by other marine professionals in the hyrdrographic survey and work boat market.

While WASSP is not new to the hydrograhic survey market, the new range – in particular the WMB3250 (formerly known as WASSP S) – has been specially designed for this sector.

“Our main focus had always been with the commercial fishing sector, a market we are very familiar with. Effectively we have been pulled into the survey market and have gained a great deal expertise and understanding of user requirements after a beneficial OEM agreement with an organisation that has been successful in this market for many decades.”

To date most of WASSP’s hydrographic sales have been to shallow water surveyors utilising commercial fishing systems. In 2013 the company is pleased to be in a position to offer range of products, including its high-end product designed specifically for the surveyor with four times the ping rate and new functions and features.

“The advancements made to the WASSP technology for the survey market will significantly benefit the commercial fishermen with improved ease of use, bottom discrimination and fish detection.”

“While we back our technology as a professional tool for all marine professionals we are not afraid to acknowledge that our products are cost effective, offering real-time and reliable water column and seafloor data in more ways than one.”

“We have made a considerable investment in the development of this new product range in the past 24 month; it is a credit to our R&D team to see this magnificent product being used by marine professionals in every corner of the world – it is truly a global product.”

With WASSP now available in 39 countries, the launch of these new world-class multibeam sonars in 2013 is a significant milestone in the company’s 65-year history.

“We have seen increased demand from a broad spectrum of the professional marine industry from workboat to defence and high-end leisure. WASSP will look to introduce further new products in the coming years.”

“Our customers tell us that WASSP technology is a game changer that makes their business more profitable.”

WASSP Ltd will be exhibiting at the upcoming Ocean Business 13 exhibition, April 9-13 in Southampton UK. During the exhibition WASSP carry out live on water demonstrations of its multibeam sonar system. Please contact Greg Fletcher to book a demonstration Email: [email protected]