Environmental laboratory services

DNV's environmental laboratory services support biodiversity management through accredited sampling and analysis of seabed habitats and species, and monitoring of environmental performance

Reliable data and environmental analysis support decisions and regulatory compliance and help monitor and improve environmental performance.  

Our environmental laboratory has performed baseline and environmental monitoring surveys for more than 30 years.  

The laboratory is accredited (ISO 17025) for sampling marine sediments for environmental analyses and undertakes accredited analyses of marine macrofauna, an important indicator of environmental impact (Test 083), including:

• P21 Taxonomy
• P32 Interpretations and opinions
• P3003 Sampling on seabed sediments.

In environmentally sensitive areas we use remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to document seabed structures and sensitive habitats (for example red-listed species such as corals and sponges). ROV surveys are typically catalogued on geographical information system (GIS) maps with interpretation of substrate (soft, gravel, rocks, etc.), habitats, faunal communities and identification of preceding activities such as trawling.

Our environmental laboratory services include:

• Expert environmental assessments and advice by highly skilled marine biologists
• Sediment sampling, biological analysis, and assessment
• Certified divers for mapping and environmental monitoring in shallow waters
• Visual mapping (using own ROV) and environmental monitoring
• Macrofauna species identification (taxonomy)
• Plankton/fish eggs and larvae sampling
• Chemical analyses by trusted partner laboratories
• Water condition assessment
• Water quality monitoring (sampling and sensor-based)
• Sensor monitoring
• Oceanographic data collection and analysis.