Leading subsea training and trials centre, The Underwater Centre, has today (THURSDAY, JULY 5) signed a basic agreement with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd in Japan to carry out a verification test of a prototype AUV equipped with a robot arm for subsea pipeline inspection.

Leading subsea training and trials centre, The Underwater Centre, located in the Scottish Highlands, has turned a corner after receiving industry support to secure its future.

The Underwater Centre, one of the world’s leading providers of subsea testing and training, based on the tidal waters of Loch Linnhe in Fort William, has successfully delivered two bespoke ROV and Hyperbaric System Acquaintance training courses as well as providing 19 days of operational support to JFD, part of James Fisher and Sons plc, as part of their training delivery to one of the world’s largest navies.

The Underwater Centre, a world leading provider of subsea testing and training, based on the tidal waters of Loch Linnhe in Fort William, has successfully supported the delivery of a complex Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) operational testing project in collaboration with Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd (KHI). This significant 15-day operational trial was planned for almost two years and involved the use of workshops, vessels, deep water test sites, ROVs and specialist support staff, amongst other assets.

Well-known for offering bespoke training in commercial diving and ROV operations to a range of clients worldwide, The Underwater Centre has recently noticed a real expansion in their client base for ROV training to companies outside the oil and gas sector.

Language no barrier to obtaining global diving certification A group of Korean commercial divers have obtained their HSE (Health & Safety Executive) diving certification on the first ever Korean-language HSE diving course at The Underwater Centre, Fort William.

In December 2016 at The Underwater Centre in Fort William, Scotland, DOF Subsea (DOF) conducted a demonstration of dynamic underwater laser scanning as a replacement for traditional metrology techniques using 2G Robotics’ and Sonardyne’s complete dynamic survey solution. The demo showcased the complete dynamic survey solution, which integrates 2G Robotics’ underwater laser scanner, the ULS-500 PRO, with Sonardyne’s inertial navigation sensor, SPRINT; Syrinx DVL and 6G acoustics. Seatronics, channel partner for 2G Robotics and provider of Sonardyne rental equipment, provided sensors and project/technician support. Historically, metrology campaigns using Long BaseLine (LBL) acoustics and photogrammetry have demanded significant vessel and ROV time. Additionally, LBL requires physical interaction with the subsea assets and photogrammetry is unable to provide real-time results. The goal of the demo was to quantify the reduction in operational time and increased accuracy of dynamic laser scanning for subsea metrology.

Tekmar Energy, which supplies cable protection systems (CPS) to the offshore windfarm industry, has successfully carried out a full-scale demonstration of its products at The Underwater Centre, the subsea training and trials facility based in Fort William The objective of the demonstration was to prove the ability to rapidly and reliably remove a CPS without the need for divers. This is particularly key for the future as offshore windfarm projects are being installed in increasingly deeper waters where diving becomes more dangerous and costly.

The award-winning subsea training and testing facility, The Underwater Centre, has added the FMC Schilling TITAN 4 syllabus to its current ROV training suite. The course familiarises candidates with all major components of the TITAN T4 manipulator and provides system operation and routine maintenance procedures. The Centre has adapted the course to offer extensive operational practice through specific activities designed to give candidates familiarity with the manipulator in use.

Subsea training facility, The Underwater Centre, is preparing for changes to the prerequisite requirements for experienced commercial air divers which will come in to play in April 2016

The course will form part of a module for students attending the one year Subsea Engineering MSc The Underwater Centre is working with Robert Gordon University (RGU)’s School of Engineering to incorporate a commercial diving familiarisation course as part of the recently introduced MSc in Subsea Engineering one year full time course.

A new model for increasing workforce competency in the ROV industry, using a realistic offshore instruction environment, has been unveiled by The Underwater Centre at the Subsea UK ROV conference in Aberdeen.

Students undertaking ROV training at the Fort William based subsea facility, The Underwater Centre, are to benefit from newly revamped courses providing even more contextual training modules. The Centre has been working with industry to identify areas of its ROV training suite which can be enhanced and courses for the remainder of 2015 will reflect this with major developments across the board. Students on the ROV Pilot Technician Course will benefit from entirely unique training elements including time on the Centre’s Loch Sunart ROV vessel and training in the ROV electrical and mechanical workshops, features unavailable at any other facility.

The Italian Air Force Search and Rescue team has been expanding its skills and knowledge during a visit to world leading subsea trials and training facility The Underwater Centre, which is fast developing a reputation for supporting international rescue teams with its range of bespoke packages.