SPRING 2017 | E9...capability. Raoul Liew, R&D Engineering at Frames, explains: “Compared to other...

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SPRING 2017 | E9

PIPELAYING IN SAFE HANDS

CONTENTS

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34

26

04

WELCOME Dear reader,

This issue of IHC Insight highlights our efforts to limit the environmental impact of our equipment, vessels and projects in several different industries. In mining, we announce the development of an oil-free open permanent magnet motor for use in deep-sea and environmentally sensitive environments (pages 38-41).

In dredging and offshore, an advanced laser cladding machine is a faster, more accurate and more environmentally-friendly option for coating piston rods in hydraulic cylinders (pages 10-15). And the new philosophy of IHC Power Plus (pages 42-45) is to design more sustainable, smarter and more affordable offshore vessels.

We are also looking beyond our core markets with the development of a prototype seaweed harvester (pages 30-33). This has the potential to revolutionise the seaweed farming industry by enabling farmers to upscale their activities and meet rising global demand.

In addition to pioneering innovations, this issue also shows how we continue to raise standards in the markets we operate and solve the challenges our customers are facing. IHC SAS has optimised the grip of its tensioners for pipelaying systems with three significant new developments (pages 34-37). In Bangladesh, our IHC Beaver© dredgers are helping to improve the inland waterways (pages 16-19). And for a UK customer, we are creating a new module handling system to enhance its well intervention operations.

Finally, we are always looking to offer something new to customers. Our collaboration with Frames Separation Technologies enables us to provide a unique subsea separation package to oil and gas operators, which is easy to install and has high levels of availability (pages 4-9). And IHC IQIP is aiming to become a full-service provider in the decommissioning market (pages 26-29) with its specialised equipment and services.

This issue also offers something new by way of its bold and refreshing design, in line with our updated corporate branding. We hope you enjoy the new look, and don't forget to keep up-to-date with all of our activities on our social media channels and website, www.royalihc.com

We hope you enjoy this issue. Don’t forget, you can keep up-to-date with all of our activities on our social media channels and website, www.royalihc.com

Dave Vander HeydeCEO

04 JOINING FORCES FOR SUBSEA SEPARATION

How Royal IHC and Frames Separation Technologies have created a unique subsea separation package for cost-effective field development

10 FIT FOR THE FUTURE

The introduction of a high-speed modern laser technique to the cladding process at IHC Vremac Cylinders is a first for the offshore industry

16 PRIDE OF THE BANGLADESH DELTA

How IHC Beaver© dredgers are offering invaluable support to contractors improving the inland waterways of Bangladesh

20 A TOWERING ACHIEVEMENT

IHC has been commissioned to create a new module handling system for Helix Well Ops (UK) Ltd. to fully optimise vessel operations

26 RAISING THE BAR

IHC IQIP has set its sights on becoming a full-service provider to customers in the decommissioning market with its specialist equipment and services

30 THE INDUSTRIALISATION OF SEA FARMING

Using its maritime knowledge and expertise, IHC is leading a new kind of industrial revolution in seaweed harvesting

34 A FIRM GRIP ON PIPELAYING

How an extensive R&D project by IHC SAS has led to several improvements of its tensioners for pipelaying systems

38 SUSTAINABLE POWER FOR DEEP-SEA MINING

Take a closer look at the oil-free motor developed, built and tested by IHC Mining, and its implications for the deep-sea mining industry

42 A POWERFUL COMBINATION

Introducing IHC Power Plus – a new design philosophy designed to create smarter, more sustainable and affordable offshore vessels

46 NEWS

Find out about the latest developments at IHC

SPRING 2017 | INSIGHT 3

INSIGHT SPRING 2017 | E9

COORDINATION C. de Hey-MaasStrategy, Marketing and Communications Director

LAYOUT S. Duijvelshoff, Corporate Communication

EDITORIALCOMMITTEEE. Bos, H.J. Cornegé, E. Dijkers, C. de Hey-Maas,R. Klem, R. Massar, J. Mast, J. van Overhagen,E. Put, D. Uiterwaal, RED International Communication

PUBLISHED WITHTHE COOPERATION OFS.S. Rahman Ltd., Nabarun Traders Ltd., DBL Group,Helix Well Ops (UK) Ltd., Frames Separation Technologies

IHC Insight is published by Royal IHC.

The articles appearing in this journal may be reproduced in whole or in part on the condition that the source is quoted.

EDITORIAL ANDCORRESPONDENCEADDRESSRoyal IHCP.O. Box 12960 AA KinderdijkThe Netherlands

COPYRIGHT Royal IHC - ISSN: 0166-5766

For more information about any article, please contact [email protected]

In a successful collaboration with Frames Separation Technologies, IHC has drawn upon its offshore expertise to create a unique subsea separation package. Guaranteeing easy installation, high availability and long life expectancy, it enables cost-effective subsea field development.

A GIANT LEAP WITH A SMALL FOOTPRINT

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4 INSIGHT | SPRING 2017 SPRING 2017 | INSIGHT 5

In April 2016, IHC announced its collaboration with Frames Separation Technologies for the development of a compact subsea separation system. The capabilities of the two companies bring together significant expertise – IHC with its technical know-how of offshore vessels and subsea hardware, and Frames, a specialist manufacturer of oil and gas process equipment.

Subsea processing is becoming an increasingly attractive option for oil and gas operators. Moving technologies to the seafloor can debottleneck topside facilities, as well as increase production efficiency and recovery rates. Bringing mixtures of oil and gas to the surface from subsea wells is a costly enterprise. Lowering equipment to the seafloor means separating the flow there, then boosting the separated phases individually to the surface, while keeping unwanted products subsurface. As a result, production can be increased without the need for complex multiphase pumps, power consumption is reduced and the system required is less complicated.

Recent developments in the market have also been drivers for subsea processing, such as

operations in deeper water and more remote locations. “Over the next five to six years, a significant number of oil and gas fields will be developed in deep and ultra-deep water,” says Daan Uiterwaal, Market Analyst at IHC. “We can make production more efficient by placing production equipment as close to the well as possible. This is a strong driver for the demand for subsea production equipment.”

The distance between the well and offshore production facility has also increased in recent years. “A longer tie-back distance means a lot of efficiency is lost in production. At the same time, this presents challenges in flow assurance. Subsea processing can mitigate those effects,” he adds.

The current tendency in the offshore market, however, is to install large and heavy installations, in deeper and more difficult conditions – resulting in larger vessels and mission equipment. Subsea systems on the market are a development of conventional products, which are voluminous and this makes taking them subsea costly. “The focus until recently has been on putting conventional technology on the seafloor,” says Daan.

“Due to industry challenges, new technologies are required to enable lower opex production.” While the number of subsea trees (the valve systems on top of the well) have been growing rapidly since 1990, for shallow- and deep-water production, the installation of subsea processing equipment such as boosting, compression, separation and water injection is lagging behind.

Traditionally active in offshore installation equipment, IHC realised there was an opportunity for it to become involved in the process of the oil and gas operators. “Our collaboration with Frames has enabled us to downsize the production equipment, instead of upsizing the installation equipment, which brings numerous benefits to oil and gas operators,” says Daan.

SWIRLSEP TECHNOLOGYFrames’ SwirlSep – a compact controllable inline separator – enables handling of large variations in flow rate. It combines a special flow control valve, the SwirlValve, with an inline separator. Based on this technology, IHC and Frames have jointly developed a compact subsea separation system.


The SwirlValve is a low shear valve that can be utilised as a choke valve and/or (level) control valve. Similar to a cage valve – axial flow or angular – it has one distinct feature: the trim cage design enables a swirling flow, or vortex, to be created downstream of the valve.

The major advantages of the swirling flow compared to the intense mixing and chaotic flow created by conventional valves are: smaller pressure drop over the cage, reduced shear on the fluid, reduced droplet/bubble break-up, coalescence of droplets or bubbles, and minimised erosion. The system has extremely high separation efficiencies, even at extremely low flows.

Used for gas-liquid as well as oil-water separation, the SwirlSep is the only compact separator with an almost full turndown capability. Raoul Liew, R&D Engineering at Frames, explains: “Compared to other compact systems, it has a very large operating envelope. Most compact separators can only operate between 70-100% of the design capacity, while our system can go down to less than 10% of its design flow. This makes it much more flexible for use with many kinds of different wells, and it allows for standardisation of the package. That’s a considerable advantage.”

A COMPACT SUBSEA PACKAGEIHC Concept, a specialist in the design and engineering of subsea production equipment, was responsible for packaging up this technology in a compact and lightweight system. The team was responsible for the development of the subsea structure, diverless field connections and

interconnecting fluid handling package. Business Unit Director Andy Eaton explains: “Our objectives were to limit the cost of installation and logistics – transferring it from topside and deploying it subsea. We also looked at minimising downtime and reducing the cost of intervention and maintenance.”

The team at IHC Concept created a template, which carries the foundation structure and two modules each containing a SwirlSep assembly. Its modular design allows system configuration for project-specific selection of operational redundancy features, even allowing adaptation during field lifetime, and a multitude of geotechnical options (such as suction pile, skirts, ballasted).

The module incorporates two separators, providing the ability to switch between the units and hence providing 100% system redundancy. “The modular design allows both subsea intervention and, if required, full recovery of one separator, while leaving one unit in place to continue the separation process and thus providing a significant advantage of very limited downtime,” says Andy.

01 Installation of the foundation template structure from the vessel

02 Installation/retrieval of the individual separator modules

03 Template on the seafloor, ready to receive its modules

04 Separation modules installed in the system

01 02

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04

In addition, as the units are lightweight and compact, they can be lifted through light construction vessel moonpools for easy maintenance. “We can recover any one of the units using a vessel of opportunity – a specific well intervention vessel or a traditional construction vessel that our customers may have,” he adds.

To further enhance installation and operational maintenance, the system has been developed with diverless connection technology. “It also has robust valve configuration and pipework, which is industry-proven and makes it an attractive proposition.”

ENGAGING WITH THE MARKETIt’s an exciting time for both IHC and Frames, as they now have a total subsea separation system to present to the market. The joint team, Daan, Andy and Raoul, have made several industry presentations in recent months to give operators and contractors, and other technology providers, an insight into the system’s capabilities.

“We’re at the stage where we can demonstrate it to the outside world and engage with customers, and then take it to a detailed design stage. It’s a solution that can be modified to fit specific needs, so it is suitable for a considerable amount of configurations,” says Andy. IHC and Frames will continue to develop the product, guided by customers’ requirements. The current system has been designed for demisting applications. However, the SwirlSep can be adapted for solids removal, liquid degassing and bulk separation.

Onshore field trials will be carried out this year on bulk separation together with a customer in the Middle East. Further experiments are also starting, which will focus on the behaviour of the separator when in liquid degassing mode. Frames also plans to continue laboratory work on bulk separation and demisting.

In the more distant future, IHC is looking to expand its portfolio further in terms of processing and subsea equipment. “Now we have a unique enabling technology from Frames that we can employ and install subsea,” says Daan. “Of course, we would like to continue to develop other processes and offer additional pieces of subsea equipment to solve the challenges that our customers – and their clients – are facing.”

“Our subsea engineering team continues to develop subsea field solutions ranging from

connection systems to field modules,” adds Andy.

PERFECT MATCHThe joint development agreement signed between IHC and Frames has resulted in a compact and efficient separation system, with huge potential for application in various subsea processes. It offers low maintenance and logistics costs, easy installation, 100% redundancy and limited downtime.

The collaboration has capitalised on the strengths of the two companies and arrived at the perfect time for both. “At Frames, we had tested this product in the field and were looking for new opportunities to develop it for different environments,” says Raoul. “At the same time, IHC was looking for a processing product that it could place subsea. Combining our knowledge and expertise has produced an attractive solution and a better financial proposal for our potential customers.”


05 The engineers from IHC Concept

06 Currently engineered system fully installed on the seabed (excluding its protective structure)

07 One of two individual separation modules, retrieved, ready for surface maintenance or spot replacement

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06

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0Installation and

commissionInspectionand regular

maintenance

Intervention /module retrieval

Field lossof income

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

THREE YEAR COST COMPARISONCONVENTIONAL VS COMPACTSUBSEA SEPARATION SYSTEM

Conventional subsea separation

Conventionalseparator dependanton field impact

Compact separatorminimal loss due to redundancy

Compact subsea separation

Thousandsof euros

05

Although laser cladding has been used in other industries for many years, it is still somewhat unchartered territory for the offshore industry. IHC Vremac Cylinders is leading the field by using the technique for its piston rods. Its high-speed machine brings numerous advantages to the manufacturer of cylinder components, and huge potential for future applications.

FIT FORTHE FUTURE


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IHC Vremac Cylinders has been researching the commercial use of laser clad coatings since 2008, together with other IHC companies. In 2014, the research focused specifically on the laser-clad techniques available, and which would be most suitable for IHC Vremac Cylinders, both now and in the future.

Its cladding process involves cladding a steel or stainless-steel piston rod that it has produced specifically for use in hydraulic cylinders. Although steel is strong and durable, it corrodes quickly and the iron oxide (rust) damages the seals on the cylinder.

To prevent this, the cylinder is cladded with a more noble metal, such as bronze, nickel, or Inconel (a brand name covering a group of nickel alloys). Traditionally, piston rods are coated with chromium. This is resistant against corrosion, hard and super smooth, and, as a result, also has excellent sliding and lubrication properties for the cylinder seals. Engineering Manager Andres Veldman explains: “But since chromium is less corrosion resistant in marine environments, in the end, the protective layer still falls short.”

It is important that the piston rod retains its sliding and lubrication properties while it is used aboard offshore vessels. “If there is any

corrosion or the surface structure changes, it becomes much rougher,” says Andres. “This means that there is a risk of the seals on the rod failing and that the entire hydraulic cylinder will no longer work. There was a need for better solutions and it is for this reason that these corrosion-resistant metals are used in the cladding process.”Before the arrival of its state-of-the-art laser cladding machine last year, IHC Vremac Cylinders outsourced the cladding work to specialist companies in The Netherlands and Belgium.

AN IN-HOUSE SOLUTION“In our quest to improve quality, we looked at opportunities to bring the rod cladding activities in-house,” adds Andres. “This has several advantages. First of all, it shortens the supply chain, therefore reducing lead time and cost. Being able to do it ourselves makes us more competitive in the market.”

Secondly, it helps to avoid any potential damage that could occur while the piston rod is in transit from an external supplier. “It’s protected when it’s in a cylinder, but very fragile without it,” says Welding Shop Manager Salomon de Castro. “When it’s being transported through The Netherlands and Belgium, anything can happen.”

Finally, performing laser cladding in-house gives IHC Vremac Cylinders the opportunity to do further R&D on future alloys to be used, and in that way, to stay at the forefront of technological possibilities.

When the company installed its laser cladding machine to its welding department in Apeldoorn, The Netherlands, it was the first of its kind in a production facility such as this. Even now, there are only two in the world. Constructed by specialist company Hornet, it was developed in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology in Aachen, Germany, one of the world’s leading institutes in laser development and application worldwide.


HIGH-SPEED PROCESSThe basis of the machine is a lathe. “It’s more convenient and stable to rotate the piston rod and to keep the laser in one place than to rotate the laser around the rod using a robotic

arm,” says Salomon. “The laser can still move back and forth, so that it gradually moves along the rod, and lasers – or rather clads – it in this way. The top welding speed is 200 metres per minute, but typically the speed is set around 20 metres per minute. This gives us better control of the thickness of the layer. Once the rods have been coated, they are finished. However, some of the layer is lost during the finishing process.”The coating system has been validated according to ISO 15614-7 and with a corrosion test, witnessed and approved by Lloyds’ Register EMEA. Now, IHC Vremac Cylinders has a distinct advantage over competitors

using conventional laser cladding with its high-speed alternative.

EXCEPTIONAL ACCURACY“This machine was developed for coating in other industries that need high accuracy and thin layers,” says Andres. “It is able to coat layers of 30 micrometres and even thinner. For our application, that’s unpractical, but we can take advantage of its accuracy, even if we change the process. You may get a thicker layer without losing the accuracy and control.

“Our machine is designed to operate in sixth gear and we’re running it accurately in first.

Competitors using conventional laser cladding – even if they are in their sixth gear – are slower than we are in first gear, and less accurate.”

The accuracy of the system means that the quality is also much higher than conventional processes. “Using these machines, we can produce the predetermined final thickness, according to specification.”

This has implications for efficiency, as the finishing process is reduced. Older processes need thicker layers, which is less accurate and requires more grinding and polishing for

the finish. “The finishing process with our machine is three times more efficient than the conventional approach,” says Salomon.

Greater efficiency means that the process is more environmentally friendly than others, too. Less energy is needed to apply the coating and powder efficiency is high (the amount of alloy fed into the melt pool). “So we also save on material,” says Andres. “The alloy itself is one of the most expensive parts of applying the coating. The more accurately you apply it, the less you lose.”

NEW POSSIBILITIESThanks to the new laser cladding machine, IHC Vremac Cylinders can perform repair work and also has the opportunity to explore different types of cladding material. “At the moment, we are starting with nickel alloy, Inconel, but we also plan on developing other compounds. Recently, we started conducting tests with alloys that are resulting in an increased hardness of the surface," adds Andres.

The company can now discover which composition or material is best suited for each application. IHC Vremac Cylinders carries out this R&D work in combination with seal

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manufacturers and is currently performing seal tests together with a leading company in this field. “We are cooperating with these companies to validate the various seal systems that we are planning to use on these coatings,” says Andres.

CHALLENGES AHEADFurther research and testing in-house will help to create more references and prove the advantages of this new technology to the typically conservative shipbuilding and offshore markets. Customers need solutions that are safe and proven, and it takes time to establish a stable alternative to the current standard.

At present, ceramic coating is preferred for piston rods in the offshore industry, and as such, it is included in the specifications for vessels. “Once it is in a specification, it is difficult to get it out,” says Andres. “Clients may order based on the specification of ceramic coatings, but since hydraulic components are ordered later in the building process, they are often not willing to break up the contract to change specifications by the time it comes to order hydraulic cylinders.”

To counter this, IHC Vremac Cylinders is trying to get into discussions with customers before they order vessels to present alternative options to ceramic and the benefits of its laser cladding machine. It is working closely with other parts of IHC to gain new opportunities in this way. And with encouraging results. Major customers have already embraced the laser cladded coating and have switched over to this new improved technology.

FUTURE IMPLICATIONSFurther opportunities will present themselves in the future due to the huge potential of this technique for other applications. “We now have options that we didn’t have before,” says Andres. “We are able to combine alloys in a way that other processes can’t – that might be something for a hydraulic cylinder in the future.”

IHC Vremac Cylinders is also aware that applying the coating is one thing, but how it reacts in the field is another. Developments in the industry are pushing towards the use of biodegradable oils, which chemically are not as easy for seals and alloys to handle as mineral oil.

“We are already working with water-glycol, and I believe that in a few years’ time we will be talking about hydraulic cylinders working on water,” says Andres. “With this technique, we have all the cards in our hand to solve the problem of protective coating systems both in and outside of the hydraulic cylinder. We believe this technique, based on the quality that we can provide and the opportunities we have, is the best fit for the future.”

IHC Vremac Cylinders has taken a bold step with the introduction of this machine to its cladding process and continues to lead the way with its ongoing research.


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IHC Beaver© dredgers have long been popular among dredging companies around the world. They are offering invaluable support to a number of contractors in Bangladesh, a country undergoing significant improvements to its inland waterways.

PRIDE OF THEBANGLADESH DELTA


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Bangladesh’s waterways have long been an integral part of its transportation network, and it has approximately 24,000km of rivers,

tributaries and canals. As such, boats are the chief mode of transport and passenger ferries are among the most popular method. However, only around 6,000km of Bangladesh’s waterways are navigable (shrinking to 3,800km during the dry season).

Investment in these valuable links has always been at the forefront of governmental policy. In early 1958, the then East Pakistan government established an authority to oversee the development, maintenance and control of the inland water transport network. The East Pakistan Inland Water Transport Authority (EPIWTA) was then created, later becoming the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).

RENEWED INTERESTOver the past few decades, BIWTA has shown strong commitment to improving the navigability of the country’s waterways. Above all, Bangladesh is placing significant emphasis on regulating rivers and canals for inland water transport, as this is the cheapest transportation method. As such, the country has a significant dredging demand with high potential for contractors.With this in mind, the Bangladeshi government has initiated a monumental dredging project stretching across 52 rivers. These have all been earmarked as suffering from heavy silt build-up over the past 25 years. The siltation and sedimentation rates have been so high that some rivers have completely disappeared in the past few years.

Other crucial reasons to dredge Bangladesh’s rivers are to enhance the surface supply of water for irrigation, and to improve the geological environment. It is becoming more important than ever for the nation’s population to have access to – and utilise – the country’s rivers all year.

BEAVERS READY FOR USETo help meet demand, IHC has supplied a

number of its Beaver® 45 and Beaver® 50 cutter suction dredgers (CSDs) to key players in this market, including S.S. Rahman Ltd

(Rahman), Nabarun Traders Ltd. (Nabarun) and DBL Dredging (DBL). All three companies have recently shifted their gaze to benefit from the recent demand for capital and maintenance dredging solutions.

Over 800 of IHC’s Beavers have been supplied worldwide, and are recognised for their robust construction, reliable operation and excellent performance. Offering an environmentally friendly operation, the Beaver® 45s and 50s have exceptional cutter and pumping power, combined with low maintenance and efficient power distribution.

S.S. RAHMAN

Established in 1998, S.S. Rahman took on its first dredging work in 2003. Initially, S.S. Rahman hired dredgers from the Bangladesh Water Development Board and other private contractors. After completing a number of projects, the decision was taken to procure its own dredging vessels. S.S. Rahman now owns two IHC Beaver® 45s, with the success of the first vessel prompting the purchase of the second in July 2016.

Both of S.S. Rahman’s Beaver® 45s are now working on a river dredging project north of Mongla – the main sea port in southwestern

Bangladesh. Since their commission, they have been working 20-hour days and yielded a high dredging output without incurring any faults or downtime. In addition, IHC provided a comprehensive maintenance manual and training facilities for the crew during handover, and S.S. Rahman continues to receive technical support. The vessel’s reliability has impressed Mr Md Rakibul Alam, Chairman of S.S. Rahman Group, who was aware of IHC’s strong reputation in the dredging market. “IHC was already known to me when we started our discussions with them in 2013. Our government also owns IHC dredgers, so I was

easily persuaded that IHC builds the best dredgers in the world.“My visit to IHC’s shipyard in 2014 convinced me that they manufacture vessels of the highest quality,” Mr Alam continues. “They displayed fantastic hospitality on my visit to The Netherlands, and it is great to see that they have continued to innovate on their dredgers. IHC applied new technology on our Beaver® 45, and we really profited from the services of a commissioning engineer and a dredgemaster who trained our crew.”

The excellent level of overall service has been highly beneficial to S.S. Rahman’s

interests. “I am delighted to say that we have not encountered any significant issues whatsoever,” says Mr Alam. “Any minor issues have been solved rapidly by IHC’s local service centre.

NABARUN TRADERS Nabarun was founded in 1973. Although a relatively new player in the dredging sector, the company is drawing on its extensive experience in riverbank protection projects for the Local Government Engineering Department, the Bangladesh Water Development Board and the Public Works Department, among others.

Nabarun currently utilises one IHC Beaver® 45 (18”) CSD. The company was alerted to

the potential advantages of IHC’s vessels by S.S. Rahman, as Director Mr Imtiaz Rashid notes: “We heard about IHC through another dredging contractor – S.S. Rahman, who already operated two of its Beaver® dredgers. IHC has an excellent reputation in Bangladesh and we feel that it is the most venerated builder of dredging equipment in the world.”

During the handing over of the vessel, Mr Rashid appreciated the service he received from IHC. “It’s been first-rate, and we have been fully supported by them. Once the dredger was cleared by customs, we made a request for an IHC dredgemaster. Amazingly,

he boarded a plane immediately and prepared our crew to use the new equipment over the Christmas period!”

The vessel was successfully discharged by IHC from Mongla and towed towards the dredging site in Rampal for official commissioning. “IHC’s local representative has been extremely helpful, as has their Service Manager in Dhaka,” adds Mr Rashid. “This helped to fully prepare us for the dredger’s arrival and so

far, it has been a success! We are considering adding more IHC Beavers to our fleet, perhaps the larger models, so we are excited to see how the first Beaver® continues to perform.”

DBL GROUP

Dhaka-based DBL Group recently launched a market-specific business arm, DBL Dredging. Its core function will be to contribute to the restoration and maintenance of over 300 rivers in the country. To ensure that the newly-created company was well equipped and able to meet the challenges of this sector, it ordered two IHC Beaver® 50 CSDs and two Delta Multi Craft (DMC) 1050 work boats.

The Beavers that were delivered included spud carrier pontoons, anchor boom installations and other options. The fleet will enable DBL to perform efficient dredging operations, and fully support its entry into the market. Following the commissioning in Sliedrecht, The Netherlands, the four vessels were transported successfully to Bangladesh and handed over in December 2016.

DBL’s Chief Operating Officer Mr Md Matiar Rahman has been impressed with the overall quality of the vessels. “In my professional life, I’ve worked with dredgers for about 30 years. I’ve used CSDs from a number of companies, but in my opinion, the vessels from IHC are better than other dredgers – in terms of performance, lifetime and reliability.”

Alongside the delivery of the four vessels, IHC will also train DBL’s crew on site and provide lifetime support.

This high level of after-sales care has also endeared IHC to Mr Rahman as DBL enters an exciting new phase in its history. “Supported by IHC’s service centre in Dhaka, I am confident that we will meet the high expectations of our customers.”


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01 Mr Imtiaz Rashid (left) and Mr Md Humayun Kabir Karim from Nabarun Traders

02 Board of S.S. Rahman

03 Minister of Shipping inaugurating the IHC dredgers for DBL Group

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Deploying state-of-the-art well intervention equipment to the seabed is a delicate and challenging enterprise. IHC was recently commissioned to create a new module handling system (MHS) for Helix Well Ops (UK) Ltd. to ensure operations on its vessel – the MSV SEAWELL – were fully optimised.

A TOWERINGACHIEVEMENT


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Well intervention operations are notoriously challenging. In the majority of projects, the equipment that needs to be lowered to the seabed is delicate and expensive. Not only does such apparatus need to be handled in the correct manner, but approaching live

wells can be particularly hazardous. Indeed, the pressures involved can be tremendous. During an operation, the vessel moves up and down in relation to the seabed, which requires the load to be compensated. Therefore, full control is important in mitigating risk.

IHC’s recent history in this sector dates back to 2006. Helix Well Ops (UK) Ltd. (Helix) initially invited IHC to participate on a project to build a vessel capable of carrying out well intervention work, the WELL ENHANCER. IHC also had to integrate a third-party handling system. It was at this stage that the company spotted an exciting opportunity to expand further in this market. Once the vessel had been delivered, a research and development initiative began to explore the possibilities for well intervention technology.

This proved to be a wise decision and a milestone in IHC’s history. It was subsequently able to develop handling equipment that could incorporate customer-specific technology. The result was a standard module handling system (MHS) specifically designed to deploy and retrieve advanced equipment, and facilitate subsea well intervention activities. It comprises an integrated steel tower construct, which supports advanced technology for the handling of subsea equipment.

IHC’s interest in well intervention projects paid off and coincided with Helix’s decision to expand the subsea intervention capabilities of its vessel – the MSV SEAWELL. The oldest ship in its fleet, the SEAWELL has been a true stalwart and involved in numerous riserless

light well intervention projects, involving wireline runs and multiple decommissioning activities. Since the 1980s, it has completed over 650 live well interventions. In February 2014, work on refitting the vessel began.

FULLY INTEGRATEDWork was completed in June 2015, and IHC designed, assembled and commissioned the MHS entirely in-house. Helix’s original brief was to ensure the SEAWELL could continue deploying subsea equipment at offshore oil and gas wells. This was to either: guarantee an optimal yield from the wells; ensure that the well integrity was maintained; or to conduct abandonment works in the final phase of a well’s life. It was also necessary to ensure the vessel could operate in the tough conditions of the North Sea, in significant wave heights of around five metres – and peaks of 10 metres.

However, these were not the only stipulations. Helix also wanted an MHS that allowed them to utilise its new subsea intervention lubricator (SIL), which was larger than previous generations used on the SEAWELL. The SIL is a single-trip, riserless system that allows access to subsea wells.

In addition, as the MHS will be connected to live oil and gas wells, it is subject to strict

rules, regulations and design criteria requiring that all systems are redundant and equipped with explosion-proof facilities. This meant that IHC had to execute extensive FMECAs (failure mode, effect and criticality analyses) in close cooperation with Helix and DNV-GL (the classification society).

IHC’s solution was an integrated system that significantly increased the payload capacity of the SEAWELL’s existing derrick, which was 40mt (single fall). The main hoist’s new 150t capacity also allows for the handling of Christmas trees (the valve systems on top of wells).

The preconditions from Helix did not phase the project’s Lead Engineer, Jurgen Zijlmans: “The original derrick had the first generation, 5” bore diameter SIL. Now, there’s a new third generation SIL, which is just over 7” (bore diameter), around 30m in height and weighs more than 70 metric tonnes. Helix also told us that the system had to have some similarities with their existing equipment. For example, they intended to use hydraulics instead of electric-driven systems.

“That was not a problem for us, because we can deliver both types,” Jurgen continues. “Our philosophy is – if it can benefit the


crew on board, then that’s the way to go! By taking this into account, the crew is able to troubleshoot and service the system themselves owing to their familiarity with this type of technology. By cooperating closely with Helix, we could get a feel for the operation and mutually arrive at an effective solution.” IN FOCUSThe solution that IHC delivered to Helix comprises a main hoist wire, four guide wires and two auxiliary pod wire hoists. These are situated above the moonpool. The MHS accommodates storage of the SIL in such a way to reduce ‘rig-up’ time offshore. In addition, it can be deployed from the vessel in a single lift due to the large hook height. It also includes a skidding system that can safely move the SIL into position above the moonpool in a relatively short time.

The SIL is then lifted and lowered through the splash zone by two cursors, with four guide wires preventing unnecessary movement. All guide wires and cursors are kept taut during operations. Two pod-line systems then guide the SIL control umbilical and kill line to the seabed. Electricity is supplied from the engine rooms, and converted by the system into hydraulic power.

Due to the wave-induced motions of the SEAWELL, all hoist wires are equipped with passive and active heave compensation (PHC and AHC) systems. These allow the load to hang in a relative position to the seabed. All PHC systems on board are ATEX hazardous zone rated, ensuring that the vessel motions remain accounted for during well intervention operations. In addition, all MHS drives shut down in potentially dangerous situations.

“One of the main benefits to Helix of our MHS is that we can deploy their apparatus in one go – in a single lift,” says Jurgen. “Other companies have to build intervention stacks in several sections. This also means that they have to lower equipment to the seabed in stages. In this way, Helix will benefit from a logical, seamless procedure that also allows them to maximise their working time offshore and increase productivity.”

DIVE BELL GIVEN NEW LEASE OF LIFE While steady progress was being made to the MHS on board the SEAWELL, IHC Hytech was commissioned by Helix to refurbish the dive bell. IHC Hytech has extensive experience in delivering custom-built and standard diving equipment, as well as being a leading integrator of advanced equipment.

Not only has the SEAWELL been a true stalwart of Helix’s fleet, but so has its dive support equipment. Incredibly, the dive bell has been in consistent use for over 25 years.IHC Hytech’s remit was the complete refurbishment of all operational equipment, without incurring the need for expensive reclassification. This meant finding the right balance between upgrading existing components and installing new technology.

“The dive bell had already been classified, so we had to be meticulous in the way we proceeded,” says IHC Hytech’s Senior Sales Manager Jaco Kleijwegt. “This was a challenge, because we needed to completely strip the bell and carefully refit it. Not many companies specialise in this type of work, and we were delighted to have enhanced the dive bell in line with Helix’s specifications.”

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Control of the complete system takes place in a cabin that has been fully integrated within the tower. The state-of-the-art controls on the MHS are also fully redundant, which guarantees availability and reliability. In addition, the operator benefits from a direct overview of the entire working area.

As all the systems move simultaneously, it is helpful for the operator to know that the control system is monitoring the equipment. They can focus on crucial elements of the operation, while the system monitors any limitations. Operators can now control all procedures from ‘cyber chairs,’ combined with touchscreens.

“It’s a fairly complicated system when you consider all the individual components,” adds Jurgen. “However, in our integrated configuration, the operator gets to control the system comprehensively and has an excellent overview. This improves safety and efficiency. Other systems make use of separate sections, and pair individual components together. In this way, it’s difficult for operators to maintain an effective overview.”

ENHANCED SAFETY AND PRODUCTIVITYThe whole system has been designed and constructed in-house by IHC, from structural, mechanical, hydraulic and electrical components, through to the development of the software. This is unique in the way

it has been fully integrated with an existing vessel. By working closely together with Helix, IHC was able to develop a solution that has been optimised in line with customer-specific requirements. This will significantly reduce the time it takes Helix to complete full intervention campaigns. “The distinction is that we looked closely at the customer’s operations, and precisely what they needed to be successful offshore,” says Jurgen. “Based on our assessment, we have been able to optimise the logistics of the handling equipment on board. We have all the capabilities in-house, which allows us to design and deliver such a system. By bringing the various technologies together – and fully integrating the controls – everything is seamlessly connected.”

The MHS will deliver a range of other benefits to Helix. To enhance safety on board, the SEAWELL’s moonpool is sealed off via two sliding – and two pivoting – hydraulic hatches. Hoist wires are subsequently guided through the hatches. This means that even if the hatches are closed, operations on the seabed can continue, while the potential danger of an individual falling through the open moon pool is removed. IHC was also responsible for training and mentoring the SEAWELL’s crew on how to use the new system effectively. This was conducted during the main sea trials and comprised practical application and theoretical studies in the form of presentations. In addition, IHC will continue to deliver 24/7, after-sales support to Helix during live operations.

A BRIGHT FUTURE“Overall, we have delivered an outstanding piece of kit that Helix is delighted with,” concludes Jurgen. “It has been an immensely satisfying project for me, because we had to oversee some major modifications in a short timeframe. We also had to factor in all the customised designs to match Helix’s requirements. “The system is designed to cope with significant wave heights and water depths, which means that we could also install it for customers in less challenging environments. Greater water depths are also possible by altering the main hoist. This project could even be a springboard for systems with an even higher payload and height requirements for more severe medium well intervention activities.

“There is a long list of important contractors interested in IHC’s handling systems. A

number of large companies are exploring the well intervention market, and we are in ongoing discussions about similar, modularised systems. Due to our unique ability to pool technology and knowledge from our other markets, it is possible for us to configure these systems and customise the MHS for a broad range of demands.

“In this way, the system’s modularity is also applicable for ‘life of field’ support, which covers a broad range of activities. It also allows us to deploy products such as flexible risers, flow lines, umbilicals and power cables, and install inline structures, for example pipeline end terminals and buoyancy modules.”

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Looking down from the crown of the tower, with the (5” bore) subsea intervention lubricator on its parking position

The decommissioning market is relatively young compared to other maritime sectors, and the demand for specialist equipment and services is increasing. IHC IQIP has been active in this field for over 15 years and is aiming to become a full-service provider to customers focused on removing outdated structures or installations, while handling the unknown factors involved.

RAISINGTHE BAR


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Over the next decade, the decommissioning market is predicted to enjoy positive growth, particularly in Europe. Only oil and gas companies in the Gulf of Mexico have been involved in dismantling and removal activities longer. The narrative stretches back half a century to the installation of the first oil platforms. As these structures have an average lifetime of around 20-30 years, it is easy to see why decommissioning remains in its infancy. In the North Sea, the interest in decommissioning is growing steadily and more projects are currently being executed than ever before. One of the key differences between the North Sea and other significant oil-producing areas – such as southeast Asia – is that activities in Europe are driven by legislation.

The OSPAR Convention dates to the early 1990s and outlines strict guidelines on the environment. It stipulates that any structure assembled on the seabed must be removed entirely. All oil companies must adhere to these regulations in Europe, which predominantly influences developments in the North Sea. In other areas of the world, there are limited guidelines, which means that decommissioning is not always an operational imperative.

Since early 2015, low oil and gas prices have also become an important driver. Owing to the nature of the work required, there is no monetary incentive to be recouped from decommissioning in itself. Therefore, oil and gas companies are continually looking for solutions to help them reduce costs and improve efficiency.

MITIGATING RISKIHC IQIP has long been at the heart of recent decommissioning developments in Europe, and can trace its roots in this sector back to 2001. Its track record began with the Frigg template in the North Sea, and the company has built great experience in mitigating the risks associated with this dynamic market.

The prime risk inherent in decommissioning concerns unknown factors. These are most prominent when handling older, more fragile subsea structures. After long periods of time, it is even possible that the relevant technical drawings no longer exist. In addition, the majority of installations were never originally intended to be decommissioned. This means that meticulous research must be carried out in advance before an operation can begin.

Detailed surveys are needed to create comprehensive plans of any existing subsea

templates, jackets, tripods and pipelines, and how they can be safely brought to the surface. In most cases, IQIP executes FEM analyses and evaluates the integrity of the equipment to be removed. At every phase, careful preparation is crucial.

“During an operation, everything revolves around safety,” says Area Manager Decomissioning, Peter Wempe. “There are many unknown elements, so we have to ensure everything we do is performed with caution. As such, we prefer to be involved at the earliest possible stage – preferably during

the FEED studies of the operation. In this way, we are ideally positioned to offer the best advice to our customers.

“IQIP’s core competence is in clamping and handling, so we prefer our customers to contact us in the first instance for advice about equipment and services. We are happy to work closely with them to discuss feasibility studies, trying to utilise standard lifting equipment or create state-of-the-art solutions that are among the safest in the industry.”


INNOVATIVE TECHNOLOGYAlongside its extensive track record, IQIP is uniquely positioned due to its ability to combine existing technologies into customised solutions. This is something that sets it apart in a market that has been determined as having real growth potential. “If we are involved at an early stage, we can combine several existing techniques safely and efficiently,” continues Peter.

“I think we are well-known for this type of work, because using proven technology is so important. Decommissioning is open to any kind of innovation, so long as we can prove that it is effective and reliable. IQIP’s strategy is not about copying what our competitors are doing. It’s about combining cutting-edge technologies into new designs. We put an emphasis on innovation with added value.”

With this in mind, IQIP is investing heavily in its research and development (R&D) department. Having created a decommissioning roadmap, the team is proactively gathering market and technology

information and pooling this into the creation of new products. In doing so, significant time and cost savings can be achieved. “Our aim is to ensure we’re staying one step ahead of market demand,” says Peter. “Following the successful completion of each project, we continuously integrate the lessons we have learned. For example, at the current time, we’re doing a lot of subsea movements to remove a pile. However, every movement requires a different function. Our solution is to instead have one tool that contains multiple functionalities.”

CASE STUDY – YME (NORTH SEA) One of IQIP’s recent successes was for Allseas on the redundant YME production platform. IQIP provided an internal lifting tool (ILT) that was used to install a cutting device inside the three legs of the platform. The topside was then removed in a single piece by Allseas’ recently commissioned heavy-lift vessel PIONEERING SPIRIT – its first decommissioning lift.

“I think IQIP was chosen because our ILT can (dis)connect rapidly without human intervention,” adds Peter. “This makes it exceptionally safe. The lift itself is based on our failsafe principles, and riggers are located remotely from the object being lifted. This was one of Allsea’s requirements, and we were happy to work with them to mitigate risk, enhance safety and increase efficiency.”

The entire project was completed seamlessly without incurring any downtime. It has also increased IQIP’s reputation for reliability on challenging projects. During the project, IQIP was approached by another customer

to remove the remaining legs. Again, the requirement was for a failsafe piece of lifting equipment. IQIP delivered a bespoke ILT, which was customised to project-specific dimensions.

LONG-TERM VISIONIQIP’s aim is to extend its reach to more challenging waters, such as central and northern parts of the North Sea. It is here that water depths regularly exceed 50 metres, and weather conditions are harsher. In addition, underwater structures typically become heavier and more complex. However, IQIP already has the studies, equipment and solutions in place to overcome such challenges. “Our focus is still on the North Sea, but we are now looking to tackle even more challenging projects, in different geographical areas,” concludes Peter. “In this way, we’re hoping to further distinguish ourselves in the market. Ultimately, we are willing to invest

time and effort to make sure we can help our customers utilise the right solution globally. By being involved at an early stage, we can clearly demonstrate the advantages of our equipment.

“We have great experience in this area, especially with regards to lifting, alongside invaluable knowledge from our other core markets. Within IHC as a whole, we have established a decommissioning taskforce, and identified a target group. IQIP will be among the key players in this taskforce, and we are able to provide a full service to customers in this exciting sector.”

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IHC is at the forefront of an exciting sustainable development in the seaweed farming industry. Using its maritime knowledge and engineering expertise, it has created a harvesting machine that will enable farmers to significantly upscale their activities and meet rising global demand.

THE INDUSTRIALISATION OF SEAWEED FARMING


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Seaweed has been used all over the world for thousands of years, most notably as a staple ingredient of Asian diets, particularly in Japan, Korea and China. It also has a long history in ancient medicine, folklore, farming and food growing in Europe, particularly in Ireland. The vegetable has numerous health-boosting properties – it is full of nutrients and minerals, and is rich in protein, fibre and vitamins, yet low in calories and fat.

Due to rising populations and an increased interest in high-quality healthy food, the global demand for sustainably grown seaweed is growing. Yet it is surprising to learn that this valuable food source is still cultivated and harvested by hand. In Asia, wage costs are relatively low, but in Europe, where the industry is still in its infancy, labour is more expensive.

The farms in Europe account for approximately 1,000 tonnes of seaweed per annum (in comparison, China accounts for 50,000,000 tonnes). The farms are installed in the sea, constructed using anchors and cables, and the seaweed is cultivated in lines or nets. The farmers want to expand their activities to a larger scale in order to meet growing demand, but are unable to do so without mechanised harvesting.

Fortunately, IHC is working on a solution to this issue. Development of seaweed harvesting mechanisation technology is one of its numerous sustainability projects, in which the company seeks to contribute to the challenges of the future by using its maritime engineering and construction competences. This will also contribute to the creation of a new market for IHC outside of its core business, strengthening the resilience of the company in the long term. Led by Bernardete Goncalves Castro of IHC MTI, the company is leading the field in a new kind of industrial revolution: the industrialisation of sea farming.

With a background in mechanical engineering and a passion for sustainability issues that stems from childhood, Bernardete started working on the concept of a mechanical seaweed harvester five years ago. “During the R&D phase, it was clear that there was a big need for mechanisation,” says Bernardete. “All the farmers we spoke to needed a machine, so it was clear there is a market.”

Initially, Bernardete and her team focused on developing equipment that could be placed on to a vessel, pontoon or floating platform to harvest seaweed grown on lines. “We were also approached by ECN (Energy Research Centre of The Netherlands) to convert a trailing suction hopper dredger into a machine for harvesting free-floating seaweed,” she adds, “but the market is still small and it’s not economically feasible to develop such a vessel yet.”

This will come eventually, though, she believes. “Perhaps in three to five years, and especially for Asia, where they have warm waters that are very productive. For now, it’s cheaper to have a containerised solution that can be transported worldwide.”

TESTING THE PROTOTYPEIn cooperation with Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam, IHC's independant design and consultancy company, a first prototype machine was built in a 20ft container, which was capable of harvesting six tonnes of seaweed an hour. “We also added additional steps of washing and pressing. Seaweed has a huge volume, it needs to be compressed to package it. We pressed it into 1m3 IBCs (intermediate bulk containers) for transport.”

This prototype was tested in May 2016 on a two-hectare farm in Solund, Norway. During the two-week test, Bernardete and her

colleagues looked at setting the parameters of the harvester, such as the optimum speed and force required to remove the seaweed from the water and cut it. They also looked at different types of blades and worked with three different types of seaweed. Further tests followed in November, for sowing machines they had developed to mechanise the seeding process.

“We were very happy with the initial results,” says Bernardete. “We saw that these machines could reduce the time it takes to put young plants into the water and harvesting by a factor of ten – so if it takes 10 days for sowing now, this would be reduced to one day! Our aim with the design is to achieve a cost reduction of about 50% – this is the difference between being commercially viable in Europe or not.”

UNDERSTANDING THE CHALLENGESThe prototypes were developed not only from a technical point of view, but also within budget for what a farmer could afford. And the design process involves taking small steps to see what works and what doesn’t. For example, an earlier prototype was modified because the winch used to pull in the line of seaweed became tangled. So the design was changed to use another type of winch.

“Getting seaweed from the water to the machine can be affected by the current,” says Bernardete. “At some points during the day, the current will pull the seaweed away so we made a guidance system for the rope, so that it wouldn’t damage the seaweed.”

The testing phase also highlighted several improvements that were required, and a need to streamline the whole process. “The harvesting is working well, but the steps before and after need to be further explored in the next phase. The pressing process needs some development as well. Even the farmers don’t know what will work best, so we have to try a few different things.”

EARLY SUCCESSNevertheless, the success of the prototype is highlighted by the fact that farmers wanted to buy it, even at this early stage of development. “They were willing to take a risk on something not yet proven in the field, when they only have one season in which to use it – for me this was a positive indication that we are on the right track,” says Bernardete.

Following the R&D and testing phases, the project is now entering a new phase. A number of pilots are being established to check commercial viability, and Bernardete is preparing an investment proposal for the project to work as a start-up company within IHC, with its own finance responsibilities and dedicated engineering personnel. “We’ll start

small; lean but focused. And of course we can tap into the high-level development, engineering and construction resources of IHC.”

Despite relatively humble beginnings, IHC’s seaweed harvesting project has already received considerable recognition for its potential to positively impact climate change. In December, it was awarded the Mobilising More (MoMo) prize and €30,000 from the Dutch MoMo initiative (consisting of the Energy Research Centre of The Netherlands, The Netherlands Committee of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN NL) and The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs (NL MFA).

“The MoMo prize will enable us to fine-tune our business proposition

in Indonesia and establish long-standing contacts there,” says Bernardete. “Europe is our playground and we can learn so much from the small farms here. However, for a significant level of business for IHC, we need to go to Asia. We are focusing on the market worldwide.”

AN AFFORDABLE SOLUTIONThe aim is to enter the market using a rental model, which has numerous advantages for both IHC and its potential customers. Most farmers have peak times for harvesting and sowing, for approximately two weeks each year, so it makes sense for them to hire the equipment when needed. It also makes it more affordable and accessible, with less investment required.

A rental model will also enable IHC to be more involved with customers and learn more about the process. “We can make sure an IHC employee is always present when the machine is used, as it remains

under our ownership,” explains Bernardete. “We can use it ourselves, continue to test it and see what works, and also if there are any maintenance issues. Our learning curve will be much steeper.”

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCEThe market for seaweed farming may still be emerging, but IHC takes its involvement seriously. “We are stimulating the market so that it can grow,” says Bernardete, “and in three to five years, I believe there will be a visible market and one that will be interesting for IHC. The team is building a number of modules to rent out to farmers this year. Our aim is to have a viable business in the short term.”

It’s an exciting time for the project, and the speed of its progress to date has been remarkable. “What makes it enjoyable to work on, and makes others enthusiastic about it, is that you have a clear goal and can see the results quickly,” says Bernardete. “And it’s also a sustainable solution. For our company, this means achieving the balance between environmental performance, social impact and financial viability, so that both current and future generations can meet their needs, as defined in the Brundtland Report.”

It’s important that the seaweed harvesting project maintains its current momentum, however: “Even the farmers confirm this – without mechanisation, it won’t be possible to upscale and seaweed farming will remain a backyard garden project.”

Harnessing IHC’s maritime and engineering knowledge has been a huge benefit to this project and a lifeline to farmers working in the industry. It has helped with the design of a robust machine that is capable of working in a challenging maritime environment. It also highlights IHC’s commitment to developing sustainable solutions, and how it is extending its reputation as the technology innovator beyond its core markets.

INSIGHT |

01 The prototype being tested in Solund, Norway

02 From left to right: Yarno Ketting, Bernardete Goncalves Castro (IHC) and Henri Brandemann (Vuyk)

03 Seeding module03

01 02

When a customer needed to improve the capacity of its tensioners on one of its pipelaying vessels, it prompted an extensive R&D project at IHC SAS to find a solution. As a result, the company produced not one but three improvements to ensure an optimum grip, less downtime and safer pipelaying operations.

A FIRM GRIPON PIPELAYING


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Working with diff erent types of pipe presents various challenges for off shore pipelaying vessels. This is mainly due to the coati ng of the pipe. When using concrete weight coati ng (CWC), too much clamping force on the pipe can cause longitudinal cracks. Alternati vely, with plasti c/polymer coati ng such as 3LPE/PP, there are issues with low fricti on – the smoothness of the material makes it harder to grip the pipe, and clamping too hard can cause damage to the coati ng.

These issues can now easily be resolved thanks to an extensive research project by IHC SAS. “We tried to solve issues for both kinds of coati ng,” says System Engineer Marco Lock. It led to two separate tracks of research and development, one of which proved benefi cial to the other. “Solving the cracking also helped the work on polymer-coated pipes,” he adds.

As a result of the research project, IHC has developed three improvements for its tensioners: a new pad material, a revised pad design and an improved cross ti e design. Each of these elements helps to prevent cracking or fricti on issues, and when combined, they off er the opti mum grip and secure handling of the product for a safe pipelaying operati on.

CROSS TIE DESIGNIn order to solve the cracking of concrete weight coati ng (CWC), IHC SAS decided to opti mise the cross ti e design. Due to the clamping force, the pipe may be forced into an ellipti cal shape. This causes deformati on that can lead to tensile stress and cracks in the concrete coati ng.

“Imagine an empty toilet roll. If you press on it from the top, you get an ellipti cal shape,” says Marco. “If it were a concrete pipe, it would crack on the far sides of this ellipti cal shape. But if you hold the toilet roll in four fi ngers, each one at 90 degrees, then you can press on it much harder, while it sti ll retains its round shape.”

As the pad angle directly infl uences the deformati on of the pipe, it was therefore the key to miti gate the risk of cracking. “To provide a bett er contact angle of the pads to the product, we designed a cross

ti e with an opti mised pad angle,” says R&D Design Engineer Jasper van Vliet. This means the pressure on the pipe is more evenly distributed, keeping the pipe as round as possible. As well as reducing deformati on and risk of CWC cracking, the revised cross ti e design is fl exible to meet a wide range of product diameters.

An additi onal and unique benefi t of the new cross ti e design is that no tools are required to exchange the pads and adjust them for a pipe with a diff erent diameter. This ensures the pads are always in the opti mum positi on, and can be changed quickly and easily, reducing downti me. “Our competi tors sti ll require tools for this, so it’s a big advantage,” says Jasper. “Also, depending on the pipe diameter, some competi tors’ designs require more than two pads, which would take longer to change.”

IDEAL PAD MATERIALTo address the issue of low fricti on pipe

coati ngs, IHC recognised that intensifying the clamping force would not necessarily increase fricti on and result in a higher holding capacity. R&D Engineer Lars Kristi ansen explains: “We needed to come up with new ways to create higher levels of fricti on.”

“We started to investi gate two diff erent directi ons,” adds Marco. “We needed to


opti mise the pad design to improve fricti on characteristi cs by looking at diff erent shapes of the pad, and we also started assessing pad materials that could give high fricti on.”

“The pipe coati ng material is usually chosen by our customers, or someti mes even their customers,” says Lars. “Essenti ally, we chose the most slippery pipe coati ng material used in the industry, 3LPE, for our research.”

Due to the number of factors infl uencing fricti on, a multi tude of materials were tested in various conditi ons: wet, dry, high temperatures, diff erent contact pressures, for example. “We tested at least 20 to 25 samples of pad materials against the 3LPE pipe coati ng using our own test rig, to fi nd the best formulati on that would give opti mal grip,” says Lars.

It took some ti me to fi nd the ideal formulati on as any slight changes to its ingredients altered its specifi cati on, with both positi ve and negati ve results. Eventually, IHC SAS developed a unique pad material, which has almost double the holding capacity for 3LPP/PE&FBE type coati ngs than pads currently in the market, in both dry and wet states. “This

has the highest fricti on against the challenging pipe coati ng materials presently used and is exclusively produced by IHC SAS,” confi rms Marco.

OPTIMISED PAD DESIGNWhile developing the most advantageous pad material, IHC was simultaneously investi gati ng the opti mum pad shape to provide maximum holding capacity. The newly developed pads

can be curved, grooved and on a swivelling base. “In our tests, we reached an increase of fricti on factor 1.5 with the new pad design,” says Jasper. This is in additi on to the increase of fricti on due to the new pad material.

Opti mising the design has enabled IHC to provide a variety of soluti ons to its customers. “By adding diff erent pad types and shapes, we can provide cross ti es for general to specialised use. For example, if a customer is bidding for a certain project, we could provide pad shapes dedicated to a small diameter range or dedicated product diameter. Working together with the customer, we can provide the opti mum soluti on,” says Marco.

UPGRADE POSSIBILITIESTo carry out this extensive research project, IHC SAS has built a test bench to gather all the data to determine the best pad shapes and materials. In combinati on with the knowledge

IHC has gained, this can be used to help customers as part of an advisory service.

“If a customer is concerned that the pipe they need to lay for a certain project is criti cal in fricti on behaviour, they can send us a sample of the pipe and we can test it, to see if the holding capacity of the tensioner they use is suffi cient,” says Marco. “If not, we can off er to upgrade the material or shape of the pads to achieve the required fricti on force.”

While the new cross ti e design has already been introduced on two recent projects, older tensioners delivered up to 2015 can also be upgraded by IHC Services. As a fi rst step, the pad material can be upgraded, or for a specifi c pipe and to maximise holding capacity, the full dedicated pad soluti on can be fi tt ed.

Both existi ng and new customers are therefore set to benefi t from this successful R&D project. IHC SAS has also strengthened its positi on in the market, off ering user-friendly components that reduce downti me, improving the overall holding capacity of its tensioners, and ulti mately improving the safety of pipelaying operati ons.

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Last November, IHC was recognised for its development of a sustainable marine mining solution with a prestigious industry award. Here, we take a closer look at the oil-free, deep-sea special motor that was developed, built and tested by IHC Mining, and its implications for the deep-sea mining industry.

SUSTAINABLE POWERFOR DEEP-SEA MINING


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To fulfil the need for raw materials for a growing world population, it seems inevitable that deep-sea mining will become a reality. To advance the technology required for the discovery, assessment and extraction of deep-sea mineral deposits in water depths up to 6,000m, an EU-subsidised project, Blue Mining, was established. As one of 19 large industry and research organisations involved in this project, IHC Mining is helping to bring sustainable marine mining a significant step closer to reality.

One of its recent achievements is the development of a unique electric motor, which will be used to power the booster station pumps of the vertical transport system required to lift the ore from significant water depths. IHC Mining R&D Manager Wiebe Boomsma explains: “It is a permanent magnet (PM) motor, which is open to the surrounding environment and filled with seawater. The bearings, stator and rotor run in seawater, and the motor is 100% oil-free, which makes it environmentally friendly at extreme depths.”

Senior Development Engineer Rian Rotteveel was responsible for the development, build and testing of the remotely operated motor. “Technically this is a very interesting product,” he says. “During our initial research, we could not find anyone who had filled an electric motor with seawater – so it’s unique.”

The initial requirements for the electric motor included: high efficiency, low maintenance/long operating periods, water-cooled, pressure neutral to the environment, environmentally

safe, compact and lightweight for integration into the vertical transport system, and the use of proven technology.

The basis of the prototype was a standard air-filled PM motor. To achieve a water-filled version, the magnetic rotor surface and electrical stator, and other sensitive components had to be protected from seawater by a suitably designed barrier.

“One of the starting points for making the open PM motor was to make it oil-free, so we had no risk of oil spillage,” says Wiebe. In a normal submerged motor, oil is used to compensate the pressure difference and to cool the stator and rotor, and to lubricate the motor bearings. Standard bearings were therefore not suitable for use in this deep-sea special motor, and specially designed water-lubricated bearings were required.

EASY TO IMPLEMENTThe motor had to be lightweight and compact, adds Rian. “One of the key considerations of this project was to try to keep it as small as possible. That makes the implementation of this motor much simpler.”

To run a normal submerged motor, an oil cooler and pressure compensating unit are also required. Both of these additional elements increase the weight and footprint of the motor and also create the risk of oil leakages – the hoses and the pressure compensating unit itself is also filled with oil.

“By nature, PM motors are relatively small to start with and we did not need all the additional features to install it,” says Wiebe. “We just have an umbilical and the motor – that’s it!”

“Our prototype is driving a dredge pump and we designed the motor in such a way that we can directly mount the dredge pump impeller to the motor shaft. Normally there is a bearing block in between, which copes with all the forces introduced by the pump impeller. This

also reduces the weight and makes it more compact.”

Even with the high efficiency of PM technology, the bearings and the stator housing require cooling. To limit the amount of external systems, a small centrifugal pump was integrated in the motor design at the back of the motor. This pump forces ambient water through the first bearing and pushes the cooling water through the gap between the rotor barrier and the stator barrier, and finally through the drive-end bearing.

TEST SET-UPIHC Mining built a test set-up to assess the


operation and durability of the motor. This was equipped with a large number of sensors to measure flows, pressures and temperatures in order to assess the efficiency of the motor by determining the various losses. A PLC-based control system, including a 500kW frequency converter and data logging system, were also part of the test set-up.

“We looked at wearing of the bearings, noise, cooling capacity, electromagnetic disturbance, efficiency losses per component, and

efficiency running with fresh water, as well as running with slurry (sand),” says Rian.

After running the motor for several hundred hours, the initial findings were encouraging. For example, the wearing of the bearings was so minimal it could not be measured. The cooling capacity of the motor was higher than required, and electrical losses were reduced by 30%. The noise induced by the bearings reduced from 83 dB(A) at the start of the test period to 61 dB(A) after 100 hours. Operating the pump with slurry did not show different efficiency results for the electric motor compared to operation with fresh water.

SEA TESTS IN NORWAYFollowing the laboratory tests, Wiebe and Rian tested the motor in the summer of 2016 at the Trondheim fjord in Norway. “We ran the motor for 120 hours in several loading conditions at a water depth of 425m,” says Wiebe. The aim of the sea tests was to observe the motor’s efficiency in sea conditions, cooling capacity, noise, remote operation, electromagnetic compatibility effects and vibration.

Again, the results were highly promising. “The efficiency of the motor was slightly higher than we estimated,” says Wiebe. “The losses with a seawater-filled motor are lower than an oil-filled motor, because of the lower viscosity of seawater. This results in a slightly higher efficiency,” he adds. The wear rate of the bearings still proved very low. “We anticipate to be able to run it for at least 20,000 hours before we need to change the bearings,” says Rian. “Our current estimation is somewhere between 20,000 and 200,000 hours.”

The maintenance intervals will be much lower than the equivalent oil-filled motor, which

requires lubricant changes every 5,000 hours. But this is not required with the open PM motor, which is continually flushed and cooled with the surrounding seawater.

NEXT STEPSThe development of this oil-free deep-sea motor – the smallest in its class – has received an enthusiastic response from the industry, not least in the form of the ‘New Environments Award’ at the DPC Innovation Awards last autumn. “We were very proud to receive the award,” says Wiebe. “It recognises our team effort in developing and delivering sustainable solutions for the marine mining industry.

“We have had very positive reactions, especially with respect to the compact size and weight of the motor set-up,” he continues. Now he, Rian and their team are continuing to maximise its efficiency, and working on two different ranges of motors – a

range of up to 1MW as a standard motor and 500kW as a dredge pump motor (with the impeller mounted directly on the shaft).

They are excited about the future implications of their work, not only for deep-sea mining, but also for other environmentally sensitive areas. As it is oil-free, it could be used in basins for drinking water, for example. “This motor could be used wherever you are not allowed by law to use oil-filled machines,” says Wiebe, “so it will be interesting to see where it takes us.”

INSIGHT |

01 Retrieving the motor for visual inspection during tests

02 Critical parameters are continuously monitored

03 The motor during operation on the seabed at 425m water depth

01

03

02

Carefully considering what a vessel really needs to operate eff ecti vely is the idea behind a new philosophy at IHC. Knownas IHC Power Plus, it is creati ng smarter, more sustainable and more aff ordable ships for customers in the off shore industry.

A UNIQUE PROPOSALFOR VESSEL DESIGN


INSIGHT |

higher than when the load is higher.“In our system, we aim to have the engines run as near to their optimum capacity as possible. There are still four engines fitted, but only two run during DP operation at approximately 60% of their maximum capacity. As a consequence, they are much more efficient.”

Should an engine fail, the battery will serve as a fault ride through until one of the other engines has been started. The capacity of the battery is around 30% of that of the smallest engine. Consequently, a ship that has only two of the four engines running is eligible for DP2 certification. This system reduces the installed

capacity by around 10% and cuts the number of running hours per year by around 10,000. This all translates into lower purchase costs, less maintenance and more efficient fuel consumption.

FUEL SAVINGS FOR HOTEL FUNCTIONSAs well as consuming fuel for propulsion, the service operations vessel also uses a great deal of energy to take care of its crew. “After a hard day's work at sea, the crew members all need to be able to take a shower, wash and dry their clothes, and heating is also needed,” says Lee. “This is usually supplied by generators, which also contribute to the fuel consumption.”

“We have incorporated heat recovery in our design,” Lee continues. “This enables us to realise significant fuel savings on the so-called hotel function.” The engines operating for propulsion purposes produce heat as a by-product. In ordinary ships, this heat is cooled with seawater and wasted. “In our design, we have applied a system similar to that used to heat a car,” he adds. “The heat produced by the engine is used in the heating system. Depending on the operational profile this could generate an annual fuel saving of 11%.”

The benefits of the electrical system add up to a potential fuel saving of 15-20%. CO2

emissions will be reduced by 1,400 tonnes and the ship is already prepared for the new regulations on NOx (IMO Tier III). These are due to come into effect in the near future for the North Sea and Baltic Sea, and are already enforced in North American and US Caribbean Sea Emission Control Areas.

SCALABLE FOR OTHER VESSELSIHC Power Plus is a versatile proposition for IHC as similar energy-efficient systems can be incorporated in various sizes of vessels, thanks to its scalability.

“The smallest ship we’ve designed was 4.2MW,” says Lee. “But not all the power is needed all the time. One quarter of it is used

on a day-to-day basis, you might use all of it on 3-4 days a year. So that’s four engines, 1MW each.

“Some of the larger vessels we have built are 22MW. So the engines are significantly larger and there are six of them. The design criteria for each vessel is different, but we have to apply the same IHC Power Plus philosophy.”

IHC Power Plus can also be applied to both new builds and vessels already in service. For new vessels, IHC uses estimations and predictions on the power that will be consumed, and creates a theoretical approach to balance the ship’s systems for power management and crew comfort. “With no design considerations, there is a large scope, it’s a clean sheet of paper,” says Jasper. “We can look at using alternative fuels, such as LNG and synthetic fuels, which can reduce engine noise by 4dB.

“Using hybrid technology, we can run two engines instead of four. This saves on engine running hours, so they need less maintenance, fewer oil changes and less environmental impact.”

To apply IHC Power Plus to an in-service vessel, IHC uses trending data to see how it is operating and then develops a system to solve any issues the customer is facing. Although there may be more restrictions than with a new-build, any changes will still be beneficial to the customer. It also helps IHC to further enhance its capabilities. “What you learn on an active vessel, by upgrading and retrofitting its systems, can then be applied and used in the new-build vessels,” says Lee.

A FRESH PERSPECTIVEIHC Power Plus offers the maritime industry a fresh perspective on vessel design with a ‘less is more’ approach. It also highlights IHC’s ability to understand the operations of its customers and provide unique solutions – by combining various technologies – to the challenges they may face.

“There are many talented people at IHC and we can bring this expertise to a product using a combination of technologies and invent something new,” says Nuur. “Each one is a unique solution.”

Another exciting angle is the potential to continue developing IHC Power Plus, with new technologies, and to apply it to other products and markets. With each design cycle, the IHC team is learning something new. “We’re gaining additional elements all the time – IHC Power Plus is therefore not a limited suite of technology,” says Jasper.

In light of the increasing demand for sustainable and affordable vessels and equipment, IHC is continuing to develop environmentally friendly, safe and cost-effective ship designs. Its customers in the offshore wind market in particular are looking for cheaper alternatives, due to the industry’s competition with oil and gas in terms of price per unit of energy.

In response to this, as well as tighter emission regulations coming into effect, the company has introduced IHC Power Plus. This is a broad range of technologies and products that can be applied (individually or combined) and tailored to a specific vessel to reduce its environmental impact and operating costs.

It involves a thorough analysis of the vessel’s operational profile and specific requirements. Then IHC combines its in-depth knowledge of the technology involved to create a series of smart and reliable solutions incorporating mechanics, electrical and control systems, and alternative energy sources.

Although there is a tendency in the market to produce ships with the largest engines or enormous battery packs, IHC has taken a different approach with IHC Power Plus. “Many customers overestimate how much power is needed and there are times when an installation doesn’t need it,” says Jasper Lievaart, Design & Calculation Team Manager of IHC Systems. “Pursuing the big numbers can be costly.”

According to Senior Design Engineer Lee Mason, it’s about striking the right balance. “We don’t over-engineer. We want the smallest amount of power on a ship to deliver the mission as efficiently as possible and make the people on board comfortable.”

Product Manager Nuur Nuur adds: “Using our knowledge of operations and expertise gathered over many years, we are minimising capex as well as opex costs and adding value. If we think something is not going to be effective on a vessel, we won’t propose it to the customer.”

BRINGING SYSTEMS TOGETHERThe IHC Power Plus concept started in January 2016, when there was a review of an offshore service operation vessel that had been developed by IHC one year earlier. The review was to establish how IHC could make the vessel as sustainable and efficient as possible. It is used to service turbines in wind farms and unmanned stations in oil and gas fields, and requires accommodation for between 60 and 80 people.

Using the IHC Power Plus concept led to unique power and propulsion systems. These helped to minimise the required spinning reserve, and reduce active diesel generators and total installed power. This was achieved by using energy storage and waste heat recovery, as well as an intelligent power distribution system, in combination with an in-house developed smart power management system, known as DIVA.

“It’s about bringing all systems together,” says Jasper. “A ship is a system of systems – everything is interrelated. We looked at the profile of the vessel, dynamic positioning, what power was required, operational

modes… it’s all about power management and energy saving.

“Every time we produce 5kW electricity, we use 1kg of fuel every hour” he explains. “So there is a carbon footprint with every kW consumed. By optimising the consumed kW, we can reduce fuel consumption, costs, and reduce CO2 emissions.”

By reviewing the way in which power is installed and used on board ships, IHC realised that with clever use of batteries, the total installed capacity could be reduced. Even with fewer engines, the vessel could achieve DP2 status.

“The requirement for DP2 ships is that if half the engines were to fail you should still have sufficient capacity for the ship to maintain its position. So four engines could be running at only 20% of their capacity, or less, for a long period,” says Nuur.

“If two were to fail, due to a switchboard failure, then the two others run at 40% to compensate for the engines that are not working. However, running engines at only 20% of their capacity is not using them efficiently as the specific fuel consumption is


INSIGHT |

HYBRIDSOLUTION

IMO TIER IIIPREPARED

WASTE HEATRECOVERY SYSTEM

INSIGHT | NEWS

Recognising a need to make it easier for companies to enter the hopper dredging market, IHC developed the Easydredge® – a product line of standardised trailing suction hopper dredgers (TSHDs). Available in a range of hopper capacities of 1,600, 2,700 or 3,700m3, the vessels can also be easily upgraded.

The concept is based on four elements: straightforward design, adaptability, cost efficiency and 24/7 support. It aims to remove the economic barriers for companies engaged in smaller dredging projects and newcomers to hopper dredging, who are looking for short delivery times. Since its introduction to the market, the design has been well received and IHC has already supported several customers worldwide with their entry to this new market.

In January, IHC launched Easydredge® 3700 MAHAA JARRAAFU at the RMC shipyard in Qidong, China. This is the first hopper dredger for the Maldives Transport and Contracting Company and an addition to its existing fleet of three IHC Beaver® cutter suction dredgers. The vessel will be used for land reclamation, infrastructure and beach nourishment projects on several islands and resorts in Asia.

In December 2016, an Easydredge® 2700 from stock was sold to Dragados Argentinos DASA SA in Buenos Aires, Argentina. This followed a new contract for an Easydredge® 3700 for Tecnoimport and Empresa Constructora de Obras Marítimas in Havana, Cuba, which was signed

in June last year. It will be deployed for a variety of projects, such as maintenance works and beach nourishment projects, which are fundamental for stimulating further investment in the Cuban tourism industry.

“Our focus on building standardised TSHDs with proven technology clearly appeals to the market,” said IHC CEO Dave Vander Heyde. “By ensuring short delivery times, we are meeting our customer’s requirements.”

IHC Robbins and IHC IQIP Australia are coope-rating closely to enhance IHC’s reputation in the country. Through its appointment of Greg

Jones as Resource and Business Development Manager, IHC Robbins has further strengthened its position on the west coast. The designation improves the company’s ability to service customers from the start of mining projects, with integrated solutions in geology, metallurgy, engineering, plant and equipment.

Following the merger of Robbins Technology Group (RTG) and IHC in November 2015, RTG was rebranded to IHC Robbins. It focuses on the design and construction of mining and mineral processing plants, and the manufacture of specialist equipment, as well as assaying, metallurgical test work and circuit development. Connecting these two well established names in the mining industry enables IHC Robbins to provide fully integrated mining and processing solutions.

In addition, IHC Robbins has recently combined efforts with IHC IQIP Australia to share a workshop in Brisbane. The additional space provides IHC Robbins with an equipment assembly and storage facility.

IHC IQIP Australia has increased its regional presence by adding an east coast yard to service growing demand in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and New Zealand. Given the vast distances that need to be covered in Australia, local presence on both sides of the country is fundamental to remaining competitive.

IHC received several awards for its efforts to limit the environmental impact of its vessels and equipment in 2016. Accolades included the International Green Shipping Award for The Most Sustainable Shipping Solution of the Year, received in Rotterdam in October.

Recent innovations highlighted by the jury include the world’s first LNG-powered trailing suction hopper dredgers for DEME, a combination of controllers that maximise suction production and minimise fuel consumption, and the improved Cutter Special Curve pump and Plumigator overflow.

IHC IQIP won the Maritime Innovation Award for the Integrated Monopile Installer. The award was presented at the 11th Maritime Awards Gala, held in October. The system allows monopile foundations to be installed efficiently and safely, and mitigates noise during pile-driving.

In November, IHC received a DPC Innovation Award with DEME in the Innovation in Dredger Design category. This was for developing the first dredging vessels in the world equipped with dual-fuel engines and capable of operating in full LNG mode.

The open permanent magnet (PM) motor developed by IHC Mining was also recognised with a New Environments Award. It was

specially developed for use in deep-sea and sensitive environments. The motor is 100% oil-free, open to the surrounding environment and filled with seawater (see page 38).

Finally, in December during the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) Investor Forum in Amsterdam, IHC received 30,000 euros for its seaweed harvesting business case. This aims to upscale seaweed cultivation through mechanisation and modern techniques. Using its experience in developing maritime equipment, IHC MTI has designed, built and tested a prototype harvester for cultivated seaweed (see page 30).

“These awards are a great stimulus for IHC to continue developing and delivering new innovations for the dredging, offshore and mining industry, driven by market developments and customer demand,” said CEO Dave Vander Heyde. “Our innovation agenda focuses on both short and long-term projects, ranging from deep-sea mining tools to the smart use of big data.”

A contract has been signed between IHC Hytech and Meander Medisch Centrum in Amersfoort, The Netherlands, for the production, delivery and installation of a hyperbaric oxygen treatment chamber.Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) involves the medicinal use of

oxygen at levels higher than the atmospheric pressure. The treatment enhances the body’s natural healing process through the inhalation of pure oxygen, which is dissolved into the body’s fluids, plasma, central nervous system, bones and the lymph. The oxygen can be carried to areas where circulation is diminished or blocked, and the extra oxygen can reach damaged tissue allowing the body to heal.

The chamber will accommodate 16 + 2 people, has an internal diameter of 2,200mm and a total length of 9.6m. It is fitted with three rectangular doors, enabling the treatment of patients in wheelchairs or on stretchers. IHC Hytech will also provide training for operators and attendants of the system.

Scheduled for September 2017, the delivery includes a complete package consisting of a control panel and the installation of various high-tech support systems, such as high and low pressure compressors, heating, cooling, air, an entertainment and individual communication system, a gas selection system and a hyperbaric fire-fighting system. IHC Hytech will take care of the transport, installation and commissioning.

This order reinforces IHC Hytech’s position as a renowned supplier of HBOT systems. Managing Director Johan de Bie said: “We are extremely proud to have been selected to build and deliver one of the largest hyperbaric oxygen treatment chambers in The Netherlands. It will be manufactured using high-quality materials and components in accordance with the latest industry regulations and certification bodies.”


EASY ENTRYTO DREDGING

A STRONGERPRESENCE

IN AUSTRALIA

AN AWARD-WINNING STREAK

IHC SUPPLIES LARGEST HBOT SYSTEM IN

THE NETHERLANDS

Team IHC Robbins

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