Rolls-Royce has been awarded a contract by Norwegian firm DOF Subsea to supply two launch and recovery systems (LARS).
The delivery marks Rolls Royce’s 100th and 101st LARS, which will be incorporated on to DOF Subsea-built remotely operated underwater vehicle (ROV) construction support vessel, Skandi Neptune.
DOF Subsea group asset manager Ingve Osberg said: “DOF Subsea has 31 Rolls-Royce launch and recovery systems deploying and retrieving a range of ROVs safely, precisely and reliably in a wide range of operating environments worldwide.”
The LARS system, which was first launched and delivered in 1999, is used to engage and recover ROVs to a depth of more than 3,000m.
It enables the ROV to operate between deck and operational depth by leveraging a series of features such as ROV umbilical winch; handling unit with latch and bullet; power unit (HPU or FC) and control system and operator interface.
The system is equipped with active heave compensation to enable the ROV to withstand harsh maritime climate and allow the operations to run unhindered.
The active heave compensation also allows an automatic launch and recover of the ROV to a given target depth and at a target speed.
Some of the systems can be operated automatically or semi-automatically, reducing risks to personnel inherent in manual on-deck operations.
Rolls Royce had earlier deployed the LARS system in the US Naval Oceanographic’s ORCA USV and various AUV LARS for oceanographic institutions such as SCRIPPS and Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans.
Rolls-Royce LARSs are also employed by Farstad, Olympic, REM, Havila, k-Line, Ocean Installer, Eidesvik, GC Rieber, Allseas, COOEC and TechDOF.