From geronimo lines to Billy Pugh baskets, transferring personel from crewboats to rigs offshore has always been a percarious operation. And while the safety record and my personal experiences with the Billy Pugh baskets are both positive, both regulators and operators have long been looking for a safer way.
Some companies have moved to systems like Reflex Marine’s Frog, a unit that is basically a Billy Pugh basket with seats, but my personel experience with these units are mostly negative as they share the same basic principal, and thus same basic dangers, of their predecessors. What has been missing in this operation is a radical new design.
Enter The Offshore Access System (OAS) for heavy seas, a new product by Offshore Solutions. This heave-compensated gangway is built on a hydraulic pedestal equipped with motion sensors to detect the crewboat’s motions. The hydraulics are then engaged to maintain the gangway at a constant height relative to the horizon.
One problem with the technology is that, while it’s potentially useful for transferring personnel from boat to fixed platforms, it’s of less use transferring people to floating platforms due to the fact that the heave of boats never matches the heave of larger vessels. But with technology advancing at a rapid pace this could soon change. Fanbeam sensors currently use laser to line workboats up with dynamically positioned vessels and could possibly be used to match the motion of the ship with that of the gangway. If that happens then pilot boats could be outfitted with the device obviating the need for pilots to climb rope ladders.
By Yimou Lee TAIPEI, March 7 (Reuters) – China has stepped up grey-zone warfare against Taiwan, aiming to make the areas around the democratic island “saturated” with balloons, drones and civilian boats,...
Austal USA has kicked off plans to construct a new manufacturing facility, marking a significant expansion of its shipyard capacity in Mobile, Alabama in support of U.S. Navy and Coast...
Oldendorff and Norsepower have announced an agreement to install three Norsepower Rotor Sails™ on board a modern bulk carrier to reduce its emissions. The vessel, Dietrich Oldendorff, will be equipped...
February 5, 2024
Total Views: 838
Why Join the gCaptain Club?
Access exclusive insights, engage in vibrant discussions, and gain perspectives from our CEO.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.