Hands-On Experience Of Underwater Equipment
MBT, part of the MacArtney Group, recently held an ROV workshop in the historic harbour city of Kiel. The three day event was attended by 36 participants from the industrial, salvage and research community throughout Germany. With a focus firmly on practical knowledge, the workshop gave underwater professionals the opportunity of gaining first-hand working knowledge of ROVs and underwater sonar equipment.
Workshops provide unique opportunities to exchange knowledge and experience and get a real taste of just what these underwater products can do. They can often provide a more in depth understanding of the various capabilities and applications for equipment, as well as being a chance to ask general or detailed questions to the supplier.
The First Kiel ROV Workshop met all these criteria, combining theoretical introduction with practical work in a real maritime environment. After an initial theory session that introduced the companies and systems, focus was definitely on the practical side of seeing what underwater technology can achieve and how to use it in the field.
The workshop was based around the underwater study of a shipwreck. Under guidance from equipment supplier MBT and ROV manufacturer Sperre, participants launched the ROV, which had been mounted with underwater cameras and sonar to investigate the wreck site, and watched the various readings from on board the MS Gotland. They also saw a live demonstration of the DIDSON identification sonar on an outboard rig.
Over the three days, participants gained a good, all-round practical understanding of ROV and underwater sonar and camera set ups, from theory to launch, operating and manipulating.
The products involved in the demonstration included a Subfighter 7500 ROV from Sperre, underwater cameras, a Kongsberg MS1000 scanning sonar and a DIDSON dual frequency identification sonar.
Planning follow up in 2009
The workshop was a great success. Everyone involved was enthusiastic and positive about what they had gained from the three intensive days. MBT plans to repeat the success of this workshop in 2009 with the Kiel Underwater Technology Workshop, focusing on a new aspect of marine technology.
