Seatools Completes FAT for DEME's Fall Pipe ROV

Seatools completed Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) for a Fall Pipe ROV developed for DEME, to be deployed on DEME's upcoming subsea rock installation vessel Yellowstone, scheduled to join the fleet in the first half of 2024.

The new Fall Pipe ROV introduces several unique features, including the integrated rotator, allowing for the offsetting of the ROV's heading relative to the vessel heading. This helps to ensure an optimal vessel heading, enhancing the workability level of rock installation operations while saving significant power compared to conventional Fall Pipe ROVs.

Another feature of the ROV is its expansive on-board survey equipment suite, employed for precise ROV positioning, monitoring operations and the environment, as well as conducting comprehensive pre- and post-surveys. To handle the vast amounts of data and complex control algorithms related to dynamic positioning, the ROV is equipped with Seatools' in-house developed multicore processing technology. The Yellowstone ROV PLC, featuring a quad-core processor, efficiently distributes tasks among individual cores, resulting in improved control task execution, particularly beneficial in complex control loops like electro-hydraulically driven dynamic positioning (DP) systems.

Image courtesy Seatools