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French subsea systems manufacturer ECA has recently been introducing its full range of subsea products in Brazil, including the AUV Alistar 3000, ROV systems and seabed mapping software, with an eye at the growing demand for subsea robotic equipment in Brazil´s shallow and deepwater plays. Founded in 1936, since 1981 ECA has been specializing in the design and manufacture of remote controlled systems for intervention in "hostile" environments. These activities include four main sectors: subsea (offshore oil & gas, defense, oceanography), nuclear, pipes, sewers, boreholes, and large bore pipe works such as main ducts and galleries, and environments with explosive risks. ECA supplies a wide range of products such as remote controlled vehicles, subsea video systems, robotics sys- tems, remote controlled tools and seabed mapping soft- ware. Some of these are also be available for rent. Another important aspect of their business is that ECA also designs and manufactures special customized systems, fulfilling their customer’s requirements. Tell us about your career and your position in ECA? I have been working for 15 years in the Military and Defense Sector. My last position before joining ECA was with French defense industry company Thales, as Managing Director for Chile, Argentina and Peru. I was recruited by ECA one year ago and since the company has many subsidiaries, I spent two months visiting these loca- tions and learning about the products. At the end of March 2010, ECA sent me to Brazil as 38 MTR March 2011 ECA Robots Working the Brazil Deep Claudio Paschoa, MTR’s correspondent in Brazil, interviews Ms. Marie-Laure Charles, Managing Director of ECA América Latina Ltda., based in Rio de Janeiro, about the innovative subsea systems ECA has been intro- ducing to the already competitive and growing Brazilian subsea and deepwater market. Underwater and shoreside (inset) view of Alistar 3000 AUV. (Photo ECA Hytec)
