The underwater rescue system designed by Saipem and Drass, a leading company in manned submarine and hyperbaric technology, has been selected by the Italian Navy for the equipment of the SDO-SuRS (Special & Diving Operations - Submarine Rescue Ship), the new vessel for the rescue of submarines.
The system integrates a latest generation remote control vehicle (ROV) with a rescue capsule. The ROV acts as a navigation and control vector, while the capsule has the function of bringing submarines back to the surface through a controlled habitat and in total safety. ROV and capsule are mechanically and electronically connected, forming a single module connected to the vessel via an umbilical cable which contains power lines and optical fibers for power, communication and control.
The entire equipment can be divided into modules and transportable by air. Saipem will supply the ROV and all underwater automation units including the vehicle integrated in the capsule, while Drass the decompression devices, hyperbaric elements, ventilation systems and medical gas treatment systems of the capsule.
The decision of the Italian Navy came to the end of a technical evaluation conducted in 2019, during which Saipem and Drass also made a demonstration prototype successfully tested in the Adriatic Sea.
The engineering and development of the automation subsystems were carried out by the 'Solutions' Business Line of Saipem's E&C Offshore Division in its center of excellence for underwater technologies in Marghera (Venice).
Francesco Racheli, COO of Saipem's E&C Offshore Division, commented: "The collaboration with an Italian entrepreneurial excellence such as Drass for an institution of absolute prestige such as the Italian Navy is fully part of the strategic diversification plan that sees Saipem not only involved in the energy transition and renewable sources, but also in the development of new strategic segments with a high technological and innovative content. Saipem will continue to strengthen this relationship by making its entire product portfolio available to the Italian Navy on the inspection and surveillance front of our seas ”.
Sergio Cappelletti, Managing Director of Drass said: “The historic collaboration of Drass with the Italian Navy is enriched by a new exciting chapter in which the synergy with Saipem brings a cutting-edge technological background coming from industrial underwater robotics. The consolidation of dual technology in the field of defense further enhances the vast specialized heritage that characterizes Drass in the diving sector. The step we are taking today is a prerequisite for larger projects aimed at creating national excellence in the field of submarine technology ".
Saipem is a leading company in the engineering, drilling and construction of large projects in the energy and infrastructure sectors. It is a one company organized into five business divisions (E&C Offshore, E&C Onshore, Drilling Offshore, Drilling Onshore, XSIGHT dedicated to conceptual engineering). Saipem is a global solution provider that, with distinctive skills and competences and highly technological assets, identifies solutions aimed at satisfying the needs of its customers. Listed on the Milan Stock Exchange, it is present in more than 70 countries around the world and employs 35 employees of 120 different nationalities.
Image: Navy
