Remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomously operated vehicles (AUVs) are becoming progressively more sophisticated in the tasks being demanded of them – from exploration and installation exercises to production operations and decommissioning projects. The ever-increasing global demand for all classes of vehicles, and the corresponding requirement for buoyancy packs, has seen Aberdeen-based Balmoral Offshore Engineering completely overhaul its ROV buoyancy production capability into a dedicated centre of excellence at its city HQ. The move has seen the company create approximately 20 new jobs spanning design, engineering and manufacturing. Following a £1m+ investment in the plant and supporting infrastructure, Jim Milne, chairman and managing director of Balmoral, told ROV Planet: “The last couple of years have seen an upturn in demand for ROVs around the world. This helped us make the decision to refurbish our buoyancy processing facility and increase production capacity so that we can meet customers’ lead times which are often necessarily short.

Trelleborg Sealing Solutions will showcase its subsea capabilities and commitment to the “future of oilfield harvesting” at two UK conferences this month. The sealing specialist is helping oilfield operators “stay ahead of the game” in the quest to drill deeper, providing high-integrity sealing solutions able to stand up to the extreme operating pressures and temperatures of deep-water locations. The global developer and manufacturer of sealing and bearing products will showcase its range of innovative products, which are aiding deep sea oil and gas harvesting, at the upcoming events: •Deep Offshore Technology International at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre, October 14-16, at stand D17 •Element Oilfield Engineering with Polymers at the Millennium Gloucester Hotel, London, October 21-23, 2014 at stand 01

Vard Marine, formerly STX Marine, has been awarded a US Patent for their design and engineering of a Dual Fuel Vessel. The company is pleased to announce that later this year; the first of six 5100DWT vessels to be built under this patent, designed by Vard Marine and built by Gulf Coast Shipyard Group for Harvey Gulf International Marine will be delivered. These innovative vessels represent the first US flag vessels capable of operating exclusively on natural gas or diesel fuel oil.

Brighton, UK based Elmeridge Cables Ltd are pleased to announce the delivery of a specialist, 26-ton breaking strain steel tow rope, in one length of 10,000 metres, for the Asian subsea market. After months of development, the special galvanized steel stranding confirmed the required 26-ton mean breaking load necessary for the specialist towing application being operated from a research vessel in 6000 metres of water. Production was completed 3 weeks earlier than anticipated. Elmeridge Cables Ltd is now looking forward to expanding its product range and expertise into this type of specialist products.

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