OPTIMISING OPERATIONS
with underwater ROVs Coastguard’s regulations for LNG fuel, as part of the management of hazardous areas and equipment. It can also help to manage headcount and improve safety; and being cloud-based provides a number of strategic advantages for its clients, which has had greater resonance with clients since the Covid-19 pandemic. It deploys on handheld technology to provide visibility, accuracy and control of assets, helping to improve efficiency and reliability and, ultimately, extend the asset’s life and uses auto-ID mobile technology to increase compliance and decrease costs in Ex inspections and maintenance activities. Integrating with SAP and IBM Maximo, improving management reporting and overall operational efficiencies IntrinsixEX also improves inspectors’ efficiency by an average of 150%, compared with pen and paper, boosting productivity, and creating a greater sense of ownership during a campaign. This opportunity is part of a greener solution that US marine businesses, from commercial ship management to the cruise industry are seeking by converting from diesel to LNG fuel transmissions. TOTE is a pioneer in this respect, and to be working with such a progressive organisation so early in our marine business development has been an excellent introduction to the industry. There are future opportunities with other commercial marine operators, as well as in the cruise and leisure industry where consumer brands are now keen to demonstrate their environmental credentials by what they are doing to lower their carbon emissions. Using Intrinsix brings peace of mind, simplicity and because it’s cloud-based, it’s also futureproof and all data is secure. Now that we’re a Microsoft Silver Partner, our formalised cloud-based applications also possess the additional benefit of Microsoft’s security architecture for all our customers who take this next step and move to our cloud-based software option. In the 21st century, the more controllable data you have, the more power you have and as a leader in our field, Arnlea exists to streamline the data analysis process, to enable safety compliance and empowers businesses to make better critical decisions.
We hadn’t anticipated our first contract out of our US offices would be a marine client and yet the synergies with the energy industry are evident. Without the marine industry, the energy industry would also struggle and so this happy accident has given us a new strategic imperative for our US operations, which will help grow our US business. The other takeaway is that operating in new sectors or markets often requires valuable partners with commercial operators who have a much better understanding of the market than you might. New opportunities mean more risk and often greater rewards and a reliable, like-minded partner can make all the difference.
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n order to keep a vessel at its top performance, protecting and maintaining the integrity of the hull is extremely important. Hull damage or fouling can not only affect the overall speed and fuel efficiency of a vessel, but can also be harmful to the crew, cargo, and has the potential to negatively impact surrounding marine life. The physical ability of the vessel to cut through the water in an efficient manner is imperative for optimal performance and fuel economy. While necessary, hull inspections can be an incredibly difficult task. Dry docking is expensive and laborious, while dive inspections can pose potential danger to humans in addition to being costly and time consuming. Submersible remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) provide a cost-efficient, portable and user-friendly way to conduct hull inspections safely and quickly. Staying on top of hull inspections and maintenance allows organisations to make the most of their valuable time and budgets. What are ROVs
due to conflicting schedules of availability. With the safety concerns of having divers in the water, there can be delays to ensure that the vessel is in a condition that is stable and safe enough for dive operations. As the DTG3 or REVOLUTION can be operated by one person, they can be deployed significantly faster than divers and allow for schedule flexibility, as well as operational flexibility, as diver health is not a concern. ROVs can be deployed at a moment’s notice for everyday tasks such as block checks during drydocking, hull and running gear inspections, equipment failure investigations, and many more. Light enough to be manually carried from pier to pier or office to pier by one person, Deep Trekker vehicles are easy to transport to vessel locations. Shore power connection is not required for the battery powered vehicles, making deployment quick and straightforward. Information can also be easily organised and shared. Once underwater work is complete, the operator simply downloads the data to their computer to develop the dive report noting hull and equipment condition and pointing to any irregularities. Benefits Optimising budgets is crucial for the successful operation of any shipping operation. With an ROV on hand the frequency that dive teams need to be mobilised, or vessels need to be dry docked, is significantly reduced.
Underwater ROVs are submersible, robotic systems controlled by users topside or onshore.
Teams can proactively manage their fuel efficiency by conducting regular ROV inspections to determine Deep Trekker Revolution ROV optimal cleaning and paint ROVs offer convenient schedules - even the smallest solutions for underwater layer of fouling on vessel hulls in-lieu of drydock (UWILD) can cut down on the vessel's inspections, diagnosis performance. Conducting of damage response regular inspections to and equipment failure evaluate the marine growth inspections, blocking/ will help prioritise when or if pre-drydocking checks, cleaning or painting must be pre-operation/charter conducted. Having extensive vessel surveys, and knowledge of the condition quality assurance, among of their vessels also allows numerous other tasks such organisations to efficiently as retrieving lost items and ensuring port security with manage maintenance schedules to minimise contraband inspections. downtime. Having vessels running at optimal condition through consistent ROV inspection ensures Deep Trekker has two underwater ROV models; overall efficiency and effectiveness to make the most the DTG3 and the REVOLUTION. Deep Trekker out of budgets. ROVs are designed for maximum portability and maneuverability. Their compact size and onboard Utility Crawlers battery power allows the ROVs to access to remote locations. Utility crawlers are designed to work in tough underwater environments; equipped with attachments Intelligent and advanced, the DTG3 is the best in its for pressure washing, vacuuming, thickness testing class. The mini underwater ROV was built to provide and more. operators the ability to quickly deploy and visually inspect within underwater environments. Depth The Deep Trekker DT640 offers various solutions to rated to 200 metres (656 feet) the battery powered unique underwater inspections, with both rubber or vehicles last for up to 8 hours. Carried in a single magnetic wheel options and designed with skid-less, case, this extremely maneuverable underwater ROV zero turning radius. Rare Earth magnets allow the is built to last, and the 4K camera provides excellent utility crawler to move in any direction on ferrous real time video footage, even in low light. material such as vessel hulls. The REVOLUTION is a completely reimagined ROV. Mission ready with enhanced payload capabilities, greater depths and advanced stabilisation systems, the REVOLUTION is a serious vehicle. Depth rated to 305 metres (1000 feet), the REVOLUTION boasts numerous comprehensive sensor integrations. The patent pending revolving head allows operators to rotate the camera, manipulator and sonar all while holding station in the water. Time The use of ROVs allow teams to optimise their time. External vendors can impact overall project timelines
With the DT640 operators can drive along the hull of the vessel as another alternative for underwater inspection and vessel maintenance. Ports and Harbours The condition of ports and harbours also play a serious role in the effectiveness of your vessel. ROVs allow users to explore the area surrounding the vessel to ensure that all underwater segments of a harbour are functioning in a safe and effective manner. Lost equipment or shipments can also be located and identified, allowing users to provide verification to those concerned.
Spectis Robotics is a world-class designer and manufacturer of advanced robotic crawlers and remote-controlled video camera inspection systems. For more information on Deep Trekker’s range of underwater ROVs, please contact Spectis Robotics on 01224-701444 or info@spectisrobotics.com
