The Perfect Location for Subsea Trials
The UK’s leading commercial diving and Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) pilot training centre is the ideal site for such work due to its world class on-site facilities and the unique topography of one of Scotland’s deepest lochs, Loch Linnhe.
The Centre’s large private pier gives unrestricted access to the loch which boasts incremental depths from 20 to 150 metres in close proximity the centre's pier. The sheltered waters of the loch ensure that trials can be performed all year round in almost any weather conditions. The Centre’s support facilities are also immediately adjacent to the loch.
In addition, the Centre’s sea environment is littered with useful underwater structures such as simulated oil well legs, pipelines, submerged structures and vehicles plus a number of wrecks across a range of depths. These provide realistic obstacles ideal for many sub sea exercises.
Rolls-Royce recently conducted the first open water trial of the groundbreaking NATO Submarine Rescue System (NSRS) at the Centre. Its development follows a number of high profile incidents involving stricken submarines, most notably the Kursk disaster in 2002.
The loch provided the team with realistic sea conditions and multiple depths, crucial for the success of their trials. Rolls-Royce programme manager Jonty Powis said, “The extensive facilities provided by the Underwater Centre combined with their established history with previous trials of other submersibles have allowed us to test the increased capacity of our new ROVs and submersibles with great confidence.”
Dutch technical underwater geological consultancy, Fugro, also tested their new flagship ROV, the FCV3000, at the Underwater Centre in 2007. The site was specifically chosen because of the loch’s unique properties but also because of the centre’s world class support facilities. Jim Mann, Global ROV Manager at Fugro said, “The facilities and support here have been ideal for the first UK sea trials of our flagship FCV3000. The trials have been a great success.”
In addition to the world class offshore facilities, The Underwater Centre can provide companies a range of onshore ‘support’ services and facilities to assist with the testing process. These include:
• Onsite engineers and electricians
• Commercial divers
• Accomodation (46 beds) and restaurant
• Safety boats and support teams
• 1.4 million Litre on shore tank for close quarter testing.
General Manager at the Underwater Centre, Steve Ham, comments, “Because of our successful commercial diving operation, we already have the infrastructure in place for product trials, reducing the cost and inconvenience of outsourcing services or equipment. Our site has to be one of the best testing areas in the UK if not the world, and we believe will prove a key site for sub sea trials.”
Any company or organisation interesting in enquiring about using The Underwater Centre for subsea trails please call Steve Ham on Tel: 01397 703 786 or e-mail steve@theunderwatercentre.co.uk