New Wave Media

 

The  ICTINEU 3, a manned submersible that can carry three (one pilot and two passengers) to depths of 1,200 meters, completed sea trials and certification tests last April in France under DNV-GL and French Maritime Affairs witnessing, where it obtained French flag and registration number, as well as navigation permits. The submersible is currently being prepared for the next challenges: the deep dive sea trials and a scientific campaign that will take place next fall.

 

In between, the ICTINEU 3 has performed 25 dives in the clear waters of the Cote d'Azur, at Villefranche-sur-mer (near Nice) where the team has been training and evaluating the performances of the vehicle. 

 

The ICTINEU 3 is ready to operate worldwide, and is available for demonstrations to clients, scientific campaigns, short or long term renting, film projects or any other deep-water activity. In parallel the company offers the design and construction of new-brand custom-tailored submarines. New units of the ICTINEU 3 can be ordered and will be manufactured upon request.

 

According to its developers, the ICTINEU 3 has proved to be a useful vehicle for scientific research, intervention and exploration, as it provides a huge field of view to observers, it can perform long range missions both in time and distance, it has a high maneuverability to approach targets, and yet it is comfortable.

 

The vehicle can stop precisely at any depth on the water column as many times and as long as wished; it can navigate up and down slopes or cliffs with no limitation due to ballast; missions can be cost effective as crew can be easily and safely exchanged while the sub is in the water, with no need for a big vessel or for recovery and re-launch operations. Thanks to its high power, high energy battery system, it can operate for long hours and perform several dives with no need to recharge, approaching to ROV productivity. It is versatile with an architecture that allows an easy implementation of client equipment. 

 

The ICTINEU 3 can be operated from an oceanographic vessel but also from a small support  vessel when operated near shore (starting navigation or towing from harbor). It can be easily transported by road and sea as it fits in a 20-foot open top container.

 

When talking about leisure, the ICTINEU 3 is a design-valuable object, a friendly vehicle and desirable toy that will provide great experiences to its owners. A large acrylic window enables passengers to enjoy views during the dive. It is a unique vehicle which can dive to 1,200 meters depth being lightweight (5,500 kg) and compact, and thus can be easily implemented to private yachts.

 

The ICTINEU 3 team is now preparing the deep certification dives up to 1,000 meters, scheduled for next fall in Villefranche-sur-mer near Nice, France. Afterwards, the team is planning a series of dives with the researchers of the Oceanographic Observatory of Villefranche-sur-Mer (OOV) in order to study the day to night migration of jellyfish and the depth where some of this organisms stay during daytime.

 

The sea trials and certification achievement have been possible thanks to the collaboration of the Oceanographic Observatory of Villefranche-sur-Mer – OOV (Pierre et Marie Curie University), the CNRS, and the company Dark Pelican that supported the sea operations and logistics, and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry Nice Côte d'Azur, concessionary of the Port Villefranche-Darse, who hosted the submersible during the trials.