The industry's recognized authority for design, engineering and application of equipment and services in the global ocean community
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12 st / July 2014 www.sea-technology.com and other advanced winch features can be intelligently combined with underwater technology know-how to support this and other industries and address the unique challenges faced by subsea systems and equipment op- erators. AHC Winch for Seafoor Mineral Exploration Odyssey Marine Exploration (Tam- pa, Florida) has recently procured a powerful MacArtney MERMAC R50 AHC winch for use on board the RV Dorado Discovery. In partnership with St. Vincent Bay Exploration (SVBE) based out of Moss Landing, California, Odyssey will use the winch to deploy various seafoor exploration systems and equipment in the Pacifc Ocean using a brand new and advanced deepwater seafoor drill. Principally renowned for its re- markable achievements as a leading deep-ocean explorer of shipwrecks and sunken treasures, Odyssey Marine Exploration also holds a proven track record in the exploration and devel- opment of seabed mineral deposits. The company leverages the expertise of one of the industry's most experi- enced teams of ocean explorers as well as leading deep-ocean technol- ogy to advance the science of seafoor exploration and assessment. Odyssey operates the RV Dorado Discovery, which is the frst commercial-purpose, converted research vessel designed to conduct a broad array of deep-ocean mineral exploration services. With this platform and specialized equipment, Odyssey performs precision geophysi- cal, geotechnical and geochemical surveys, detailed mapping, sampling, environmental assessments, drilling and resource evaluations at depths up to 6,000 meters. Marking the latest addition of cut- ting-edge equipment on board the Dorado Discovery the MacArtney MERMAC winch system offers mul- tiple features and benefts to empower Odyssey and SVBE exploration mis- sions. With a potential cable capacity of 7,775 meters and a pulling force of 195 kilonewtons on the bottom cable layer, the winch system can deliver powerful and versatile performance of any subsea equipment-handling op- eration. Even when performing at full tension, the MERMAC system has a very low noise output, and enabled by an integrated AHC system, the winch is able to actively flter out the effects of vessel movement caused by high sea states, thereby allowing Odyssey to expand its window of drill opera- tion. The accurate and safe handling of subsea equipment is further enhanced by a drum-mounted disc brake system. Further adding to the list of innova- tive features and benefts, the Odyssey MERMAC system was delivered with internal cable water cooling, central lubrication points, emergency system recovery and the unique MacArtney Remote Access Tool, which allows technicians to remotely troubleshoot and service the winch in real time while the ship is at sea or docked in a remote harbor. On the performance of the inte- grated AHC system and the winch in general, Odyssey Marine Explora- tion Director of Mineral Exploration Tom Dettweiler said, "The MacArt- ney winch has performed fawlessly through the at-sea acceptance test and in the trials of our new deepwater sea- foor drill. The active heave compensa- tion of the winch allows precise land- ing of the drill on the seafoor with all motions removed." The SeaBotix CDS Another example of how state-of- the-art winch systems and underwater technology expertise can go hand in hand can be identifed by looking at the SeaBotix Containerized Delivery System (CDS). SeaBotix, a San Diego, California- based leading miniROV manufacturer and supplier, has recently contracted the MacArtney Group to supply an electric MERMAC ROV winch system for use with the SeaBotix CDS. Being the world's frst 4,000-meter-capable, fully self-contained, rapid-response ROV system, the SeaBotix CDS solu- tion represents an innovative approach to deepwater observation and light intervention work. Traditionally, large and expensive work-class ROVs that take days to mobilize have been used for these mission types. The CDS is a simple, fexible and cost-effective al- ternative, offering a single-container, integrated deepwater observation package, including a customizable control room, workspace, winch, launch-and-recovery system, tether management system (TMS) and a ver- satile 4,000-meter-rated vectored Sea- Botix vLBV4000 ROV system.