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www.sea-technology.com March 2016 / st 35 I n collaboration with Rhino Marine, Marsol In- ternational, a Dubai-based global marine solu- tions provider focused on the offshore oil terminal market and related infrastructure, has introduced Rhino Craft, a multipurpose workboat tailored to easily access and provide service support to these challenging sites. Rhino Craft can also be used as a dive SRP (scuba replacement) boat and is less vulnerable than other small craft in this category, which Mar- sol International believes could be a game chang- er for the industry. Rhino Craft hulls have been designed and de- veloped in cooperation with naval architects and have been tested to create robust and virtually indestructible workboats, for use with inboard diesels with stern drives or jet drives, as well as outboard motors. The hulls are fabricated from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which is a ductile (non-brittle), high-strength plastic with ex- cellent abrasion, UV and chemical resistance, and is ideally suited to use in extreme offshore environments. Rhino Craft have been designed primarily for the offshore oil and gas market, where the conditions are rough and craft are exposed to severe impact loadings, particularly in the harsh conditions of intertidal zone areas. The industry has expressed a need for a vessel that fulfls a number of roles, including support for maintenance operations, a robust re- placement for small infatable boats and the ability to assist with frefghting duties. This vessel plays an important role in Marsol Interna- tional's Emergency Pipeline Repair Service (EPRS). When working with pipelines in offshore operations, safeguarding against environmental damage is crucial. Deepwater subsea operations come with their complexities but shallow-water intertidal zones, where the sea meets the sand, can also be particularly challenging. Should a pipeline require repair, time is of the essence, both for the environment and the company's reputation. As a subsea pipeline emerges from the water, its path has inherent risks, and this specifc location calls for a unique emergency response vessel that is adaptable and durable to work in the ever-shifting sands and tides. EPRS has been developed over the last six years to service all types of en- vironmental situations and geotechnical confgurations, ad- dressing the inherent challenge of accessing delicate areas not normally serviced from sea or shore. Due to various clients' requests for a turnkey solution, EPRS has been launched to best service the needs of this niche market, which requires a different, but complemen- tary, skill set from subsea or deepwater pipeline repair. Mar- sol's experienced team of offshore terminal and marine per- sonnel understands how to locate and stabilize the ground to access damaged pipelines in the intertidal zone, and to implement the requisite pipeline repair. The Rhino Is in Charge Rhino Craft Multipurpose Workboat Holds Up in Challenging Conditions By Mike Young (Top) Subsea davit during dum- my-run tests in port before de- ployment off South Africa. (Bot- tom) Rhino 600 collecting the subsea davit (suspended below white buoy).