9 minute read
Unmanned lifeboat
UNMANNED LIFEBOAT COULD LAUNCH FROM TURBINES
A start-up developing a complete lifesaving system for off shore energy, has partnered with naval architect Chartwell Marine to deliver a fi rst in class remotely operated rescue vessel
The ‘Survivor Class’ vessel will be the cornerstone of Zelim’s wider off shore rescue system, incorporating search technology & remote operations.
Offshore energy sites present a hazardous environment for personnel and vessel crews, where there is always a risk of man overboard (MOB) incidents. However, traditional approaches to search and recovery are unsuitable for many offshore facilities. In an environment where every second counts, the challenges presented by growing offshore industries highlight a crucial need to rethink existing rescue processes.
The increasing distance of projects from shore renders traditional maritime support ineffective. Lifeboats can take several hours to reach the site of the emergency, and even rescue helicopters can take well over an hour. Additionally, offshore windfarms typically lie out of the normal operating zones of such rescue vessels, rendering rescue procedures even more challenging. Following consultations with key offshore survival organisations to address these critical lifesaving issues, Zelim and Chartwell’s ‘Survivor Class’ unmanned rescue vessel introduces an essential new stage in the rescue chain, rapidly recovering MOBs and providing them with an accessible safe haven from the debilitating effects of coldwater immersion, where they can await evacuation to shore.
The vessel has been designed ‘casualty first’, with accessible features to address limited mobility challenges, such as a pioneering rescue conveyor for recovering MOBs from the water, easy-open door handles, an air-conditioned cabin, and a helicopter pick up zone. Meanwhile, as an unmanned, remotely operated vessel, crucial deployment time is reduced, while also limiting collateral risk for rescue personnel.
After contesting a competitive bid process, the consortium secured Innovate UK funding on two separate occasions, accelerating project timelines to complete the preliminary design phase. The last tranche of funding is being used to deliver the full design and shipyard tender, build oversight and testing.
The vessel will be mounted onto offshore structures and deployed into the water via a 25m free fall following MOB or helicopter downing incidents. To maximise safety in severe weather conditions, Chartwell Marine used its hull form expertise to produce a vessel operable in significant wave heights of 4.5m, verified with extensive model testing conducted by independent naval architect Seaspeed Marine Consulting.
Andy Page, Managing Director, Chartwell Marine, said: “Designing the Survivor Class gave us a great opportunity to apply our offshore wind expertise to new challenges, such as free-fall water entry and casualty recovery. For example, the two waterjets will activate prior to contact with the water to stop the vessel drifting backwards into the turbine. Zelim has shown strong leadership in making offshore wind a safer industry, and we are excited to see where the partnership goes next.”
Sam Mayall, Founder, Zelim, said: “As offshore wind continues to scale up to meet the growing global demand for clean energy, ensuring the safety of seafarers and technicians is critical”.
8 ‘Survivor Class’
unmanned rescue vessel
New guide to handling water jets
The increasing popularity of water jetpropelled vessels both in the civilian and military sectors of the maritime industry has outpaced the commonly available and approachable books on these ships, says one publisher.
Inside the Water Jet Shiphandler’s Guide by John Kinkela are descriptions and pictures of the various parts of water jet propulsion and control systems. Also included are explanations and suggestions on how to make full use of the remarkable maneuvering potential that water jet propulsion offers, followed by an explanation of how to efficiently and safely make use of the higher speeds that water jet vessels can obtain. Last, there is an extensive glossary of terms typically used in the community of high-speed water jets.
After a US Navy carer, the book’s author John Kinkela came ashore to teach highspeed navigation and water jet shiphandling for the US Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship. John has been an instructor at the US Navy’s Surface Warfare Officer’s School in Newport, Rhode Island, since 2014.
8 Water Jet
Shiphandler’s Guide by John Kinkela
FLEXIBRIDGE MAKES WELCOME RETURN TO THE INDUSTRY
After several years described as ‘at standstill’, Norwegian vessel bridge integrator Flexibridge is ready to off er its product again to the maritime market
Sveinung Pile has been employed as Managing Director of the company and has started the job of emerging the company back to the surface again. Much of the work has consisted of organizing the warehouses and systematizing production drawings, but there has also been room for contacting a few of the former customers: “Already in the fi rst conversation with a former customer of Flexibridge, I got the feeling that this is a company that has been missed by its clients. The history of the company is simply impressive and being able to take the lead in this new chapter in Flexibridge’s history is a task I look upon with great enthusiasm and joy” Sveinung comments.
The work of rebuilding Flexibridge is well underway, and the company have already paid a visit to the Aqua-Nor fishing fair in Trondheim. The presence at the fair was mainly to establish new contact with former customers and acquaintances of the company. “The fishing industry has been and will be very important to Flexibridge. We have previously been a main supplier of bridge solutions to many shipping companies, and it is incredibly motivating to see the reception we have received from former customers after touching base about the new investment” says Sveinung. Even though the company didn’t perform any active sales in the past years we are proud to say we delivered modulebased bridge consoles to the well-known hybrid well-boat Ro Vision back in 2020, also awarded with the ship of the year award”, Sveinung continues.
The forthcoming months will be occupied in further development of the product range and to launch exciting product solutions for new and existing customers.
Flexibridge has its origins in Haugesund, Norway, where it was founded in 2000 by Hatteland. In 2004 the company was taken over by Steinsvik Group. In recent times, the company has not operated any form of active sales and its product has
8 Sveinung Pile has
been employed as Managing Director of the company
only been delivered to a few loyal customers. The product range mainly consists of workstations and bridge solutions for navigation, operation, and control.
Radio with smartphone control
A new marine radio with smartphone control will help make communications management easier than ever.
Icom UK’s IC-M510 VHF/DSC marine radio offers smartphone control using the RS-M500 app (iOS/Android).
“Up to three smartphones can act as remote controllers via the radio’s WLAN. It is even possible to have an intercom function between your smartphone and the radio itself,” said Icom.
The IC-M510’s sleek design is suitable for either panel or trunnion mounting. The radio has a depth of just 2.8 inches, making installation easy for vessels.
The colour TFT LCD provides nearly a 180-degree viewing angle and the wide display has high-resolution characters and function icons. The night mode screen also ensures good readability in low light conditions.
8 Icom UK’s IC-M510 marine radio off ers
smartphone control
Impressive audio is built into the IC-M510 and its internal speaker enhances the received audio. The waterproof speaker provides superior sound quality with a wide frequency range for powerful, clear audio.
The introduction of the standalone IC-M510 will be followed later in the year with an optional CT-M500 wireless interface box that provides NMEA 2000 connectivity and Hailer/PA feature. The CT-M500 and the radio can be connected through WLAN.
TRAFFIC MONITORING FOR WIND FARMS
Wärtsilä Voyage has successfully completed its fi rst commercial installation of its WebVTS 5.0 software application with a system to monitor the Wintershall Noordzee wind farm
This Wärtsilä software system is designed to provide greater safety for off shore installations. The Wärtsilä Navi-Harbour WebVTS features an early warning system that is designed to avoid collisions between the off shore platforms and any vessels operating in their vicinity. It works by providing remote access to Automatic Identifi cation System (AIS) or Vessel traffi c Service (VTS) data sources to maintain constant and full situational awareness, utilising a standard Internet browser. The WebVTS decision support tools eff ectively mitigate potential marine hazards and risks. The application also supports navigational maps, traffi c management tools, ship history, and it can work in various languages.
Wintershall Noordzee’s North Sea offshore facilities operate in challenging sea and ‘‘ weather conditions. A high number of ships, such as ferries, fishing vessels, offshore suppliers and guard vessels, are operating in the southern part of the North Sea and transiting to the major North European ports
Manué Gerrits, the Central Control Room Supervisor with Wintershall Noordzee commented, “Wintershall Noordzee’s North Sea offshore facilities operate in challenging sea and weather conditions. A high number of ships, such as ferries, fishing vessels, offshore suppliers and guard vessels, are operating in the southern part of the North Sea and transiting to the major North European ports. We therefore require the highest levels of safety for both the installations and the crews manning them. For this reason, we selected Wärtsilä’s Navi-Harbour WebVTS 5.0 software solution, the very latest available solution of its type, to enable analysis of alerts based on AIS information. This provides us with a sophisticated and reliable means of maintaining situational awareness,”
“The system makes it possible for vessels in the vicinity of the platforms to be visible, not only locally but also in Wintershall Noordzee’s Central Control Room (CCR) located in Den Helder. In addition, the historical record generated by the system can be used later for playback and analysis, helping to drive continuous improvement of future operational efficiency,” said Charles Wyng, North Europe Sales, Wärtsilä Voyage.
8 Wintershall
Noordzee’s Central Control Room
Bristol Chanel buoy deployment
JD Marine & Sons Ltd vessel Alec D recently loaded and sailed to Barry for the deployment of 12 buoys over a four day window.
Navmoor was contracted for the supply, installation and maintenance of the 12 buoys, and after the initial buoys were ordered, the company was requested to upgrade two of the buoys to benefit from a full data package: Met Hydro, Wave, Water Temp and Current, as well as integration back to Navmoor’s online portal. This is not just an IALA compliant turnkey AtoN package, but includes a retrofitted data system too.
Working closely with project partner and vessel supplier JD Marine, as well as the client, has enabled Navmoor to deliver every step of the contract on time and on budget.
J.D. Marine & Sons Ltd is a specialist
8 JD Marine & Sons Ltd vessel Alec D
marine company based in the UK. It offers a range of Services & Equipment for the marine sector. JDM own and operate a fleet of vessels from a strategic position covering the Bristol Channel and surrounding areas.
Navmoor Limited, based in Ebbw Vale, Wales, supplies, installs and refurbishes aids to navigation of any type, manufacturer or age. The company holds a a stock of lanterns, buoys, moorings, sinkers and monitoring equipment, to ensure the prompt response to any outage, anywhere in the UK or Ireland.
