Commenting on today's announcement, Ronald L. Marsiglio, Benthos President and Chief Executive Officer, said, "We are extremely proud of our employees, suppliers and all those who contributed to this exceptional achievement. We are also thankful to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts whose workforce training grant - received last October - enabled us to streamline our manufacturing processes, cross-train employees and reduce supply chain turnaround. Much of this training was conducted by the University of Dayton's Center for Competitive Change, to whom we are also grateful. This success illustrates our commitment to positioning Benthos as a leading supplier of mid-size, electric ROVs to the world market. Furthermore, our lean manufacturing initiative is enabling the Company to efficiently respond to this kind of high volume requirement."

Upon delivery, F&RD, Malaysia plans to deploy the systems throughout the country to aid waterborne search and rescue efforts. MiniROVER MKII systems are small, lightweight, inspection and survey class ROVs used for a variety of underwater missions. They are equipped with video cameras, lights, thrusters, and articulated gripper arms which allow them to operate in marine environments that could pose a risk to divers. A single system includes an underwater vehicle, a remote control operator handbox, a topside control console, a tether with storage reel, and a VCR/monitor.

Benthos, Inc., through its Undersea Systems Division, designs, manufactures, sells and services a variety of oceanographic products for underwater tasks; and through its TapTone Package Inspection Systems Division makes systems for testing consumer packages made of glass, metal or plastic. The common stock of the Company is traded on the Nasdaq SmallCap market under the symbol BTHS. For more information, Benthos can be found on the Internet at http://www.benthos.com.

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The deadline for submitting editorial to the July/August issue of UnderWater Magazine is May 17, 2002. Underwater contractors and equipment manufacturers are invited to contribute to the following features:

• The Military Marketplace: Underwater contractors and equipment manufacturers that specialize in supporting military operations get the chance to promote their unique capabilities.

• The AUV Marketplace: Autonomous underwater vehicle manufacturers and contractors are invited to describe what separates their offerings from the rest of the AUV pack.

• Commercial Dive Team Pictorial: Commercial diving contractors are invited to send color images of their dive teams, along with captions describing the projects the images were taken from. Both group and individual shots (action and posed) are encouraged.

Email Editor Daron Jones at editor@doylepublishing.com or call 281-440-0278 for more information. Participation is not contingent upon advertising.

Again, deadline is May 17, so don't wait until the last minute to reserve your place. Visit http://www.underwater.com.

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Houston, (April 25,2002): Sonsub Inc is pleased to announce several new appointments and promotions.

Giorgio Martelli, Chief Operating Officer of Sonsub Inc in Houston, Texas, will be relocated to the UK where he will be joining another Saipem Group company.

David Sheetz has been appointed as Regional Manager of Sonsub Asia Pacific. In this capacity, Mr. Sheetz will be responsible for overseeing company operations as well as commercial and resource development. Mr. Sheetz has been with Sonsub for 12 years and has served in key operational roles starting as an ROV technician, progressing through Offshore Superintendent to his most recent position of Vice President Operations.

Robert Keith, a veteran of Sonsub since 1987, has been appointed to Sr. Vice President of Operations and Commercial. In this position, Mr. Keith will be responsible for overseeing operational activities, project resource allocation, and general supervision of commercial activities. Mr. Keith is coming from the Sonsub Asia Pacific office where he served as Regional Manager since November 2000.

Greg McCavanagh has been promoted to the position of Sr. Vice President of Engineering, Assets and Procurement. This position will have Mr. McCavanagh responsible for engineering services and manufacturing as well as management, maintenance, manning and procurement of all operational assets and equipment. Having been with the company since 1984, Mr. McCavanagh is being promoted from VP Engineering, a position he has held since 1999.

Marco Sclocchi has been promoted to Vice President Business Development, Commercial and Contracts. In this capacity, Mr. Sclocchi will be responsible for supervising all commercial and marketing activities, including the preparation of commercial proposals, sales and business development initiatives. Mr. Sclocchi began his career with Sonsub in 1996 as an Engineer, progressing through Project Engineer to Proposals and Contracts Manager in 2000.

Frank Sayle has been promoted to Vice President of Operations. Mr. Sayle has most recently worked in the capacity of Project Manager since 1997 and has worked on several leading offshore projects in the Gulf of Mexico. As VP of Operations, Mr. Sayle will have responsibility for the execution of all offshore projects undertaken by Sonsub Inc. including directing the expansion of Sonsub into more complex and comprehensive subsea construction contracting.

Sonsub Inc., a Saipem Group company, is recognized as an established leader in the development and application of quality, cost-effective solutions for subsea environments. The company maintains offices in the USA, United Kingdom, Norway, Australia, Italy and South East Asia and specializes in subsea construction engineering and remote intervention. For more information, please contact Marco Sclocchi, Sonsub Inc. 15950 Park Row, Houston, TX 77084. Telephone: +281-552-5674; Fax: +281-552-5909. E-mail: marco.sclocchi@sonsub.com or visit them on the web at: http://www.sonsub.com

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Jan De Nul of Aalst, Belgium are to install the new Tower Online Dredge Navigation software from Tower Hydrographics (UK) Ltd. onto the recently launched Jan De Nul jumbo trailing suction hopper dredger, the Juan Sebastián de Elcano (16,500 m³), in Sestao, Spain prior to its commissioning in August.

The new Tower software underwent recent testing in the Netherlands with IHC/Imtech prior to its installation in Spain and includes the recently developed network protocol routines (TCP/IP and UDP). These enable the transfer of data between the Tower Online Dredge Navigation / Monitor suite (used on all Jan De Nul dredgers) and the Imtech ECDIS/IMS system. The system allows for the bi-directional transfer of survey data as well as the sending of geodetic data, waypoints, digital terrain models (DTM's) and volume planes/profiles from the Tower system.

Further Tower software installations are planned for five new Jan De Nul vessels over the next eighteen months. These include a 27,150 kW self-propelled rock cutter suction dredger (currently under construction at the IHC Shipyard in Kinderdijk), two trailing suction hopper dredgers of 11,300 m³ and two trailing suction hopper dredgers of 4,400m³.

Tower Online Dredge Navigation software is also shortly to be installed on Musing BV Dredging & Civil Construction’s new cutter suction dredger Eems, in the Netherlands.

For further information on the Tower software and survey personnel supply services visit http://www.towerhydro.com or contact Arron Burrows on +44 1638 555101, Email: towerhydro@dial.pipex.com

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New from Leica Geosystems is a Windows-based software program that facilitates two-way data transfer between a PC and Leica's DISTO Pro4 handheld laser distance measuring tools

The DISTO Online software comes free with the purchase of a DISTO Pro4 product. It runs on Microsoft Windows 95, 98, ME, 2000 or NT. A Windows-CE 3.0 version is currently under development.

The DISTO Pro4 is a powerful handheld tool that uses precise laser beams to take distance measurements with accuracy up to ±1.5 mm (1/16 in), indoors or outdoors, at ranges up to 100 meters (330 ft). Up to 800 measurements and ID labels can be stored in memory, and downloaded from the handheld laser device to a computer using the DISTO Pro4 serial data port. The software formats the DISTO data into an ASCII file, so it can be downloaded easily into an Excel spreadsheet or exported into AutoCAD or other drawing programs.

The software also permits data to be uploaded from the PC into the DISTO Pro4. Thus, the user can predetermine the desired measurements to be taken and upload the ID labels into the handheld device, to make it easier to capture and record measurement values in the field.

"DISTO Online also interfaces with several third-party software packages, which have been developed by other vendors to work with DISTO data for specific applications such as floor covering estimation," said Jack Wolf, vice president, consumer products, for Leica Geosystems. A list of approved third party software as well as complete information on DISTO products is available on the DISTO website, www.DISTO.com.

Leica Geosystems, with worldwide headquarters in Heerbrugg, Switzerland, develops, manufactures and markets systems for surveying, mapping and position determination. The company, with 2,750 employees, has a turnover of over 600 million Swiss francs and is listed on the Swiss Exchange. It is structured in six divisions: Surveying and Engineering, GIS and Mapping, Industrial Measurement, Special Products, Consumer Products and New Businesses (Cyrax). Along with the Swiss facilities, the company also has development and production subsidiaries in America and Asia and is represented by 20 sales units and more than 100 representatives worldwide.

Contact Jack Wolf, Leica Geosystems, 4855 Peachtree Industrial Blvd., Suite 235 Norcross, GA 30092 Tel: +770-447-6331 or email: jack.wolf@leica-lsg.com or visit the website at: http://www.leica-geosystems.com

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ASL now offers several state-of-the-art instruments for measuring waves over a wide range of water depths.

In waters up to 20m, directional wave data can be obtained using the traditional PUV (pressure/ velocity) method with a Nortek Aquadopp on a Nortek Profiler. The less expensive Macrowave uses pressure only for non-directional data.

Our new 1200kHz RDI WH ADCP also provides directional wave data in water depths to 20m, while our 300kHz WH unit extends out to about 100 meters.

Our ASL Wave Profiler can measure non-directional waves in even deeper water (>/ 150m). The Wave Profiler measures wave height directly, and is not limited through use of approximate linear wave theory.

For more recent news and to read our latest newsletter (April 2002 edition), click here... http://www.aslenv.com/newsletter/newsletterlease.pdf

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Over the next few months survey contractors, academic institutes, sonar manufacturers and recognised authorities on multibeam will be evaluating the system to confirm the F180 as the most simple to use, high performance and cost efficient inertial attitude and positioning system on the market.

Despite this success a few customers have bought to our attention a very small printing error on the F180 data sheet that you will have received at Oceanology International. Needless to say the F180 is able to measure heading and heave when using DGPS to the same degree of accuracy as with RTK. An amended datasheet is attached.

We would be very happy to discuss any potential requirement you may have for the F180. Please contact systems@octopusmarine.com or visit our website http://www.octopusmarine.com for further information. For more information about this announcement, please contact Angus Lugsdin, Sales Manager, Octopus Marine Systems Ltd. via e-mail at: angus@octopusmarine.com

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Following trials of the system on various ground types the NCRI undertook purchase of the system earlier this year. During these trials the system proved itself both in ease of operation and in its ability to differentiate seabed materials. Bernhard Riegl of the NCRI added:-

"We were not only able to discriminate between sand, rubble and hard substrate, but were also able to differentiate benthic animal communities (in our case communities dominated by gorgonian soft corals and sponges)."

Even on initial surveys the NCRI were able to identify different returns with varying echo sounder frequencies. With ECHOplus capable of undertaking simultaneous dual frequency analysis this feature will allow higher levels of analysis to be undertaken when compared with single frequency systems. Another factor in the decision to purchase the system was the ease with which an inexperienced operator could successfully operate the system and collect data. System can easily be set up with any vessel of opportunity and data collected with a simple laptop PC.

Hamish Forbes, Seatronics Ltd, Sales Manager commented, "The study of coral reefs is yet another application for the Echoplus system, already being used in archaeology, commercial survey, environmental survey, fisheries research and other areas, ECHOplus is rapidly establishing itself as the system of choice by many users."

With the growing success of ECHOplus Seatronics are keen to expand there dealer network throughout the world and would be interested in hearing from any qualified parties that feel they could undertake promotion and sales of the ECHOplus product.

Further details from: Seatronics Ltd., Denmore Road Aberdeen, UK AB23 8JW Tel: +44 (0) 1224 853000 Fax: +44 (0) 1224 853101 E-Mail: hamish.forbes@seatronics-group.com Web Site: http://www.seatronics-group.com

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Thierry HOUETTE has also joined TEI as Defense Project Manager. He will work from TEI, France. He will be in charge of defense/MCM projects in France and in Europe.

Triton Elics International develops integrated survey systems and advanced survey tools for commercial and military customers. More information is available on TEI's website: http://www.tritonelics.com

Please contact Francois Wolf, Director of Marketing at Tel: +831-722-7373 or at fwolf@tritonelics.com if you require any additional details.

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Ocean Design, Inc. is a world leader in subsea electrical and fiber optic connectors, cable assemblies, and junction boxes used for offshore oil and gas, defense, oceanographic, telecommunications, and research applications. She can be reached at Tel: +860-805-1662, http://www.oceandesigninc.com or by e-mail to: gmanroel@oceandesigninc.com.

Also joining MOTN is Mr. Gordon Richardson of TechRich Consulting of Boston. They provide consulting services to help clients leverage technology for commercial value by accelerating product development; finding, accessing and acquiring new technologies; and developing product and market entry strategies. He can be reached at Tel: +617-504-3340, or on the web at http://www.techrichconsulting.com or by e-mail to: GR@techrichconsulting.com.

About The MOTN: The Marine and Oceanographic Technology Network (MOTN) originated as the Massachusetts Ocean Technology Network. MOTN was formed in 1994 as a non-profit corporation with the express purpose of promoting, supporting, and expanding the marine technology manufacturing and service businesses within the state of Massachusetts.

The state recognized that Massachusetts had become a hotbed of oceanographic technology, and provided seed money to form a network that would foster cooperation and synergy within this industry to encourage the development and expansion of local business opportunities. As MOTN grew in size and popularity, it became obvious that the the entire New England region, with its dense population of marine technology design and production firms, could also benefit from membership within the organization. Thus, recently, the Massachusetts Ocean Technology Network gave way to the larger, more diverse Marine and Oceanographic Technology Network.

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The name change is designed to emphasise more about the core business of the company, and reflect the companies expertise in both geodesy and software development.

Please update your contact information to reflect the new name change, our new web address (http://www.geodetic-solutions.com) and our new email address structure (e.g. scorbett@geodetic-solutions.com, mrayson@geodetic-solutions.com)

About Quest
Quest is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK and Houston Texas, USA and provides innovative software, mapping and GPS services and consultancy to the navigation and positioning community.

Contact Martin Rayson, Geodesist, (e-mail: mrayson@geodetic-solutions.com ) at Quest Geodetic Solutions Ltd The Stables St. Thomas Street Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LE United Kingdom Tel: +44 (0) 191 232 5977 Fax: +44 (0) 191 230 0508

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