Underwater Contracting Ltd (UCO) is continuing to invest in its subsea inspection capabilities, expanding its fleet of JM Robotics HD3 remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) to 30 systems.
The Aberdeen-based company says the investment means it now has the world’s largest single-owner fleet of JM Robotics HD3 ROVs, further strengthening its ability to provide inspection-class ROV capability across a range of marine and subsea projects.
The HD3 is a rugged and lightweight ROV, designed for operations in demanding conditions including work in tidal waters, with high manoeuvrability and operational capability to depths of 300 metres. The ROV features an HD camera as standard, eight thrusters and auxiliary power for additional sensors and equipment through UCO’s UCOmux system.
The fleet expansion is part of UCO’s ongoing investment in its inspection ROV capabilities, with the company indicating that further developments and announcements are expected in the coming months.
Jostein Oddmund Dyrset, Key Account Manager, JM Robotics (JRM), and UCO Business & Marketing Lead, Kate Archer
The continued investment is also part of a wider commitment from UCO’s leadership to develop the company’s ROV fleet and maintain the capability required to meet changing customer requirements. With the overall fleet now in excess of 100 vehicles, the scale of the investment represents a significant commitment to the company’s subsea capabilities.
Marc Coull, Business Development Manager (Energy) at UCO, said: “We continue to invest heavily in our inspection ROV fleet and capabilities, with some exciting developments and announcements coming shortly. Building a fleet in excess of 100 vehicles is a significant commitment, but it gives us the capability and flexibility to respond to a wide range of customer requirements.
“We have also deliberately retained a very flexible commercial approach. Whether a customer needs a short-term hire, a longer-term placement, has a repeat requirement or needs a project-specific arrangement, we can look at the model that best suits the requirement."
This approach allows UCO to tailor its ROV deployment model around individual customer and project requirements, rather than being restricted to a single commercial model.
The latest investment underlines UCO’s continued focus on developing its inspection ROV offering and increasing the range of flexible subsea solutions available to customers.