A potential life threatening incident at sea has led to the establishment of a small Hobart (Tasmania) company and a marine marker buoy and retrieval system that can be used right across the globe.

Fiomarine’s ‘Fiobuoy’ is the world’s first submersible marine marker buoy and retrieval system.  It is unique in that it combines an acoustic release, a line of retrieval and a marker buoy in one complete system.  It allows equipment or assets to be secured and ‘hidden’ underwater and then safely retrieved.  In the defence environment it allows sensitive equipment to be covertly secured underwater and at deeper depths than previously possible.

As a safer alternative to surface marker buoys, the Fiobuoy could revolutionise the entire marine industry. 

“Our goal is to see the Fiobuoy used in all areas of the marine industry,” said Fiomarine inventor and company CEO, Mr John Fiotakis. “As a security and retrieval tool that improves safety in the sea, hopefully one day the Fiobuoy will be a household name.”

The idea for the Fiobuoy originated out of a boating incident when John Fiotakis was on a fishing trip with some mates off the southern coast of Tasmania.  They were motoring at night when their props became entangled in a crayfish pot line and marker buoy. Thankfully they were able to free a motor before the boat crashed onto the nearby cliff face, averting a potentially fatal accident.  The incident got John thinking about how it may have been avoided, through the buoy being kept underwater.

Once a prototype was developed, it was being tested in Hobart’s Derwent River and was spotted by RAN divers in the area who instantly recognised its potential in the defence environment.  Fiomarine then collaborated with the Defence Science & Technology Organisation (DSTO) to design the Fiobuoy to suit military specifications.

The Fiobuoy is now available commercially worldwide.  It is available in two standard models based on its release capabilities. The Time/Date model is programmable to release at a specific time and date. The newer Acoustic Command model contains all the features of the Time/Date with even greater flexibility. Via acoustic communications, this model can be released on demand at any time.

The standard Fiobuoys are also deployable to either 100m or 200m depths and additional features include a strobe light and a winder.

Collaboration is integral to Fiomarine’s culture.  From the beginning it has worked with customers (defence or otherwise) to ensure the technology meets their needs.  Models are available as standard, however Fiomarine can modify the product to suit its customer's specific application.

The Fiobuoy can be applied in all areas of the marine industry where assets and equipment need to be secured underwater and retrieved. 

In the defence environment for example, it assists in the deployment and retrieval of practice mines and missiles, monitoring submarine movement and covertly marking amphibious landing lanes.  It also secures valuable equipment and data used in marine research and hydrography. 

Fiomarine is now concentrating on the fishing and aquaculture industries, from where the concept began.  It is working on projects to minimise ‘ghost fishing’ in the lobster fishing industry and supporting submerged offshore aquaculture farms.
However, Fiomarine’s technology is so versatile it could also be used for moorings of small and large vessels and in the offshore oil and gas industry.

The Fiobuoy is also an economical substitute for using a diving team and a safe and secure alternative to a surface marker buoy. In defence it has also allowed for greater deployment depth in exercises that was previously too costly or dangerous.

 Fiomarine is a small Tasmanian company that specialises in underwater security and retrieval.  Its signature product, the Fiobuoy, was designed specifically to assist the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and now supports defence forces here in Australia and overseas.  The Australian Hydrographic Service as well as Mine Warfare units have been utilising Fiomarine’s technology for almost ten years.

The United States Defence Department is Fiomarine’s largest customer having recently received its second major order of Fiobuoys.  This second order represents a massive 340 percent sales growth for the company and comes within less than 18 months from when the first order was finalised. 

“The US took five years to sign the first contract, so this is a big deal for us,” said Fiomarine CEO, Mr John Fiotakis.  “Having the US as a repeat customer not only increases our standing on a global scale but also further proves our technology.”

Fiomarine has been supplying specialised equipment to the defence industry since its inception in 1997, and has collaborated with the Australian Department of Defence on a number of projects. This includes the first mine laying from a COLLINS Class submarine in 1999.  Its technology is also integral to the Cormorant Lift Bag, manufactured by Liferaft Systems Australia and designed in collaboration with the RAN.

The Japanese and Singapore Navies also use Fiobuoys to support their operations.