Under a month to go until IMCA's annual seminar

Published on 1 October 2015

DIARY DATE

Event: IMCA Annual Seminar 2015

Theme: A Health Check for the Marine Contracting Industry

Dates: 27-28 October 2015

Venue: Jumeirah At Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Sponsors: Northern Marine Manning Services, TPSMI, JFD, DP & Marine Assurance Norway AS, and Promar

Further information:www.imca-int.com/events/annual-seminar-2015 and events@imca-int.com

UNDER A MONTH TO GO UNTIL IMCA’S ANNUAL SEMINAR

Following the success of the International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) Annual Seminar in London in 2014, the 19th IMCA Annual Seminar with its topical theme: ‘A health check for the marine contracting industry’, will be held at the Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates on 27-28 October 2015.

With just under a month to go, 260 delegates are already registered from 29 countries to take part in the two-day event that provides the perfect forum to gain access to knowledge and information of relevance to the maintenance, and health of the marine, diving and offshore industry.

Speakers will be tackling topics such as: the challenge of adding value not cost; the latest operational and technological advances – in the fields of marine, diving, ROV and offshore survey; and discuss the need to get back to basics to operate safely and efficiently in difficult economic times. The full programme is available online, and registration is open at www.imca-int.com/events/imca-annual-seminar-2015.aspx.

This year’s seminar will have the added bonus of enabling members, and non-members, to meet the two men with their hands newly on the IMCA ’tiller’ – Allen Leatt, the association’s new Chief Executive and new Technical Director, Richard Benzie. Both are looking forward to the opportunity of meeting those taking part in the Annual Seminar as delegates, speakers and exhibitors within weeks of taking up their posts.

As has become traditional the Seminar combines plenary sessions; technical presentations in three parallel sessions; workshops on technical issues and, very importantly, networking opportunities both during the day within the exhibition hall, and in the evenings. There will be a welcome reception the night before the event opens, an Arabian Nights Desert Safari at the end of the first day of the event; and a closing night beach BBQ.

This year’s seminar has a strong list of endorsing organisations – ADCI, CDSA (China Diving & Salvage Contractors Association), The Hydrographic Society; IADC, the Dynamic Positioning Committee, The Nautical Institute, The Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), and the International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP); and 28 exhibiting companies.

Who is showing what?

Information provided by nine of the 28 exhibitors gives a flavour for the wide range of interests of IMCA supplier members.

Ansell Protective Solutionswill be focussing on the Viking Hot Water Suit MK 2 which they launched at IMCA’s 2014 Annual Seminar. The new suit, designed for offshore saturation diving, features new materials which make it extremely durable, as well as having a protective coating on the surface which aids cleaning the suit. They also have a unique ‘click’ function valve to aid diver safety. The Viking HWS MK 2 is also fully certified to EN14225-3. They will also be showing a Viking HD rubber suit for commercial diving operations, as well as a selection of undersuits and diver cooling vests. http://protective.ansell.com

DP & Marine Assurance Norway As -Apart from their normal mainstream business of DP & Marine Assurance, they have recently launched a unique low-cost biometric gangway access control system. The normal systems rely on a swipe card which will identify that a certain card has passed the perimeter (Gangway) but will not identify the actual person. Anyone in possession of a card will register on the system as being the person to whom the card was issued. This may or may not be the person currently in possession of that card.

As it is people control, not card control that is important, the only way of achieving this is by the use of a biometric reader. These are either integrated to an existing card system, or can be retro-fitted at little extra cost, & this will then positively identify not only that the card has passed the perimeter, but also that the card was in the possession of the person to whom it belonged.

The system will interrogate a card and establish that it is a valid card. It will then prompt the person presenting the card to prove that they are the person to whom the card belongs. Unless the two criteria are met, the person will not be permitted to enter.

The system can be expanded to incorporate real-time tracking around the vessel such that in an incident, the last known location of any person can be established to assist in searches for casualties. The system will also automatically update all hotel management functions, muster lists, cabin plane etc in real-time. As far as they are aware, they are the only supplier of biometric security systems to the offshore industry. Of course the system can also be integrated to shore establishments as well, to have a combined on & off shore people tracking system.

Their main focus will be on the present oil price crisis and the need for ship owners & operators to reduce their costs whilst not reducing the quality of services provided to them. They operate in a unique way and keep overheads to a minimum, yet provide a product equal to, or better than, their larger competitors. In this way they offer the highest quality, but at a reduced cost to their clients.”In a nutshell we are using the present crisis to our advantage, offering the best for less, and our client base would appear to appreciate what we do, since we are generating a lot of interest and new projects in a very short time scale. Our stand is designed to get this message across to existing & prospective clients.”

They are a new company whose senior staff have very many years’ experience working within the largest and most prestigious DP practitioners in the business. They have a new head office in Bergen and branch offices now open in Singapore and the UK:”not a bad start for a company founded less than a year ago, and we have an expanding and satisfied client base.” www.dpmarine.org

Fathom Systems Ltd- The CSMTS – Critical System Monitoring and Tracking System was introduced to the market earlier this year. It is a stand-alone data acquisition, recording, communications and transmission product developed by Fathom Systems (and installed by IHC Hytech and Oceanwide Safety at Sea) to meet and exceed the current guidelines and requirements for the safe operation of self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboats (SPHL) in the event of an evacuation from the host Dive Support Vessel (DSV). The product is a multi-unit system that is a requirement stipulated in IOGP Report 478 (7.4)

The system, comprising a suite of SPHL installed hardware, transmits critical sensor and mission data from the SPHL to shore using the low level ‘Iridium ®’ satellite communications network via two antennas mounted in a suitable position on the topside of the craft. A terrestrial server system managed by Fathom Systems receives the data which is then distributed via the Internet to allow remote monitoring and incident management of the SPHL from any location globally either on land or at sea. The DSV Operator has access to all data from the terrestrial servers via the Internet connection and a ‘Client-side’ application allows bi-directional data transfer between incident rooms and the SPHL.

As the service provider, Fathom Systems automatically monitors the status of all equipped SPHL’s continuously. In the event of a launch, an immediate alert is received allowing the shore based response teams to be notified by telephone, SMS or e-mail. Automated periodic ‘health check’ interrogation ensures a fail-safe and direct system availability.

There will be a ‘quick fire’ total technology presentation (TT7) in the Mezzoon Ballroom on Wednesday 28 October when Gareth Kerr, Managing Director of Fathom Systems and Johan de Bie, Managing Director of IHC Hytech present CSMTS – ‘Hyperbaric evacuation – meeting the requirements of IOGP478 and IMCA D 052’.

Other exhibits will include:

• Digital Diver Voice Communications System
• Intelligent Gas Analysis Equipment
• Instrumentation Interface Hubs – intelligent Comms Router & intelligent Network Logger
• Diver Camera & Hat Light Power Supply Unit
• Bell On-Board Emergency Gas Monitoring System
• Chamber Depth Monitoring System
• Underwater sensors

Fathom Systems equipment will also be present on the LexMar stand (Booth 3) where their demonstration SAT Control Panel will be on display and incorporating our own intelligent Gas Analysis and Diver Voice Communications equipment as being supplied to 3 new build LexMar projects in Singapore.

Celebrating their 10^th year in business, Fathom Systems is at the forefront of new build SAT dive system projects worldwide. As suppliers of high-end products and services to both the Commercial Diving and Remote Intervention Tooling sectors, they are currently engaged in nine new build projects and are firmly established as the provider of a ‘one stop shop’ for the supply of control, communications, monitoring and gas analysis equipment. They do not stop at the supply of hardware – they have an experienced team of installation and commissioning personnel able to attend client premises anywhere in the world in order to provide a full turnkey service, including product competency training prior to system handover.

Since the IMCA annual seminar in London last November, Fathom Systems now has the backing of Maven Capital Partners following a management buyout. The transaction represented the 9th Private Equity transaction completed by Maven in 2014, following its investment in a number of fast growing UK SMEs. www.fathomsystems.co.uk

Fugro Satellite Positioning AS-Fugro has further extended its technology leadership in the field of GNSS augmentation systems for offshore positioning applications with the launch of its G4 service. The new satellite correction service is the first to take advantage of all four GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems): GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou and Galileo. The Seastar G4 service has been available since February 2015 and is the only available service that offers a 10cm accuracy including GPS, GLONASS and BeiDou and already made ready for Galileo.

The Fugro Satellite Positioning Seastar services are in use with DP systems on board OSVs, shuttle tankers and DP rigs within the offshore oil and gas market. www.fugroseastar.no

Nautronix will be demonstrating NASDive which is the latest generation fully digital Diver Communications system, providing permanently installed wired communications for Saturation Diving operations and represents the industry’s first, and only, truly digital diver communication system.

Through the use of digital electronics, digital telemetry and the latest generation of Nautronix Helium Speech Unscrambler, NASDive provides the clearest and highest intelligibility diver communications available today, while simplifying the wiring and installation requirements for both chambers and dive bells.

NASDive is a revolution in diver communications, a step change in performance and safety for the industry.

As an example, within the Bell, the bellman’s speech is digitised within an external bell electronics bottle prior to being transmitted up the umbilical. This ensures that the bellman’s speech is not affected by attenuation nor noise pickup, which has been an issue with diver communications systems in the past. NASDive is unique in supporting digital signalling both over copper screened twisted pairs, and fibre umbilicals.

The move to a fully digital system has enabled a number of new benefits to be introduced to the field of diver communications. A few of these new benefits are covered below:

NASDive Core System Benefits

• The clearest quality of speech, due to digitisation at source and digital telemetry.
• Superior quality of helium unscrambling, due to the latest version of the Nautronix Helium Speech Unscrambler.
• Increased safety in emergency situations, due to being the only system in the world to maintain communications between bellman and divers in the event of a communications failure to topside, for at least thirty minutes.
• Superior Entertainment, due to the system having 8 stereo inputs as standard, and individual users are able to select their own entertainment source, adjust volume and sidetone.
• Simple to install, only requires two screened twisted pairs from Bell to DSV, and CAT5 grade cabling on the vessel.
• Simple interface capability to other systems, due to industry standard audio interfaces, and telephone connection hardware being utilised.
• Highly flexible, due to the architecture the system can be expanded in size with ease, enabling communications points to be added and removed as required.
• No reduction in speech quality as umbilical cores degrade, due to the use of digital telemetry which adapts to maintain connectivity as the umbilical cores degrade.

www.nautronix.com

NETmc Marine Limitedis developing a new video camera system for divers called the DVCid. It is a derivative of the DVCiR ROV camera launched at the IMCA Seminar two years ago in Singapore. The system can be configured to operate over a coax for air diver work, or over a twisted pair/Ethernet as found in dive bell systems. As the excursion cable is normally coax and the main lift can be twisted pair or fibre, they will configure the system for each installation. They have tested the system with one dive bell; it was struggling to get standard video from the divers’ hat cameras, however NETmc Marine managed to get full HD to the surface.

They will have their diver HD camera system on display, and be focussing on HD video for divers and ROVs. Other exhibits will include data sheets for other equipment.

NETmc Marine has been involved in the acquisition of digital video for more than 12 years, our customers including the majority of the top ROV/Diving companies and also oil companies such as Shell, Talisman and Woodside. Our equipment has also been used in scientific research being deployed to over 11,000m on a lander by OceanLabs in Aberdeen. www.netmcmarine.co.uk

Pommec TDE BVis a leading European manufacturer and worldwide supplier of commercial diving equipment. They provide a wide range of products, from consumables to entire Dive-Spreads. Manufacturing standard and custom built dive systems combined with their long experience as distributors for all the leading brands in the industry gives them the ability to bring the job to an end, successfully and safely.

Clients come to Pommec for standard consumables and commercial diving equipment, but also when they need a specific, custom-made system, like Launch and Recovery systems, or a containerised decompression chamber. Pommec advises on all necessary requirements. They handle quality control, technology, electrics, hydraulics, welding and logistics. All are manufactured at their premises in the Netherlands to keep control of quality and traceability.

Customers all have their own specific demands, but Pommec also ensures that their systems follow all international safety requirements. In addition, they always make sure that products evolve. This is done by using the latest technologies, making logical design choices and listening to customers’ needs.

You may encounter Pommec equipment and installations in Vietnam, Mexico, the UK, South Korea and many other places. In all these locations, diving professionals need high quality equipment that is reliable and designed to meet all kind of offshore, marine and underwater situations.

Pommec stays competitive and leading, both nationally and internationally by producing systems made of high quality products. They realise fast delivery times worldwide, they provide support on location and continuously improve both their production facilities and products. Pommec’s complete range of services is best described by just three words: care for detail. www.pommec.com

Skuld 1897is proud to launch its new subsea and marine equipment policy wording. Andy Lane their Subsea and Marine Equipment Underwriter has utilised his 28 years of experience to develop the wording and is excited to launch this at the 2015 IMCA Annual Seminar. The new wording has been developed with input from their in-house Technical Manager, Dave Munro utilising his 36 years offshore experience.

They will focus on sharing the benefits of this new product with IMCA members as well as promoting the SKULD group which has been providing insurance cover to the marine and offshore industries since 1897

This new policy wording is developed in line with FCA guidelines, is written in a plain English format and having listened to industry’s needs, contain extensions of cover previously unavailable. This new insurance product will be beneficial to all Marine and Offshore Contractors. www.skuld1897.com

Veripos will be highlighting improvements to the Veripos APEX² PPP service, which now typically provides users with a horizontal position accuracy of better than 5cm and 12cm in the vertical at the two sigma (95%) confidence level. There have been new state of the art receivers and geodetic antennas used for delivery of better measurement quality resulting from refinements to algorithms and software used to derive necessary GNSS orbit and clock corrections.

Veripost is working closely with its sister company Novatel to ensure continuous improvement and developments of the Veripos range of products and services. www.veripos.com