Estimated reading time: 2 minutes
Fugro is taking a major step forward in safeguarding Florida’s coastline through its expanded role in the Florida Seafloor Mapping Initiative (FSMI). This multi-year project, spearheaded by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), aims to enhance coastal resilience, streamline infrastructure planning, and protect fragile marine ecosystems. Having previously covered 14,000 square kilometers of airborne lidar mapping, Fugro is now undertaking an extensive vessel-based survey across 42,000 square kilometers of Florida’s offshore regions.
This new phase spans five out of six DEP program regions, encompassing the entire Atlantic Coast, the Florida Keys, and parts of the Gulf Coast. What began modestly in late 2024 with one survey vessel has rapidly escalated into a multi-vessel operation, showcasing Fugro’s capacity to scale efficiently. Central to this effort is Fugro’s cutting-edge VirGeo® platform, which enables real-time project tracking and quality control, ensuring transparency and collaboration with the DEP.
The urgency of this initiative cannot be overstated. The catastrophic 2024 hurricane season underscored the vulnerabilities of Florida’s coastlines. By delivering precise, actionable data, FSMI is poised to play a crucial role in adapting to Florida’s ever-changing coastal landscape. This data not only helps mitigate the effects of climate change but also ensures the safety and prosperity of local communities and businesses.
“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’s involvement accounts for 65% of the FSMI’s vessel-based data collection, solidifying its role as a leader in coastal mapping and resilience. With fieldwork anticipated to conclude in late 2025 and final data delivery set for 2026, the project’s impact is expected to be far-reaching, offering a blueprint for other regions facing similar challenges.
DISCLAIMER: “Breakbulk.News publishes editorial content, including news, features and press releases supplied by third‑party companies, institutions and PR agencies. Third parties who submit material to us are solely responsible for ensuring that all text, images, logos and other content they provide are accurate and that they hold all necessary rights, licences and permissions for news use. By submitting content to Breakbulk.News, contributors represent and warrant that their material does not infringe the rights (including copyright and related rights) of any third party and agree to indemnify Breakbulk.News respecting any claims arising from their submissions. human-edited, AI-assist. If you believe any content on our site infringes your rights, please contact us at info@breakbulk.news with full details and we will investigate promptly. Breakbulk.News is a Trademark of Breakbulk News & Media B.V. in The Netherlands.”
