It is the floating platform required to install the communication equipment. The buoy is composed of a cylindrical float (diameter 2.5 m, height 1.7 m) made of polyethylene foam surrounding an internal steel structure and of a weighted tripod keel. A central hole in the float is used to house the containers supported by a composite material planking. The buoy is fitted with a signalisation light mast and with a position monitoring ARGOS beacon. It has been manufactured by the company FLOATEX (Italy).

From the surface the mooring line (jpg 224ko) comprises:
  • a 90 m long steel cable (diameter 28 mm) to which is attached the acoustic transmission transducer at 25 m depth
  • a nylon rope (28 mm) the length of which is in proportion to the site depth and reaches 1000m for 3400 m bottom depth
  • a polypropylene rope (36 mm) of length up to 2250 m
  • an acoustic release fitted with its buoyancy foam sphere
  • a last steel cable length connected to the 4 ton anchoring dead weight made of scrapped steel blocks