Global marine technology developer Kongsberg Maritime’s Aberdeen based underwater camera group has received contracts to supply comprehensive underwater camera packages to a total of four new state-of-the-art SMD trencher and mining vehicles being delivered to major subsea service clients.
The first contract is for cameras and accessories for a new generation high powered deep water Trencher, recently delivered and currently undergoing sea trials. The Trencher is capable of operating in water depths of up to 3000m and jet trenching in soils of up to 100KPA and chain cutting of soils up to 250KPA. The Kongsberg Maritime camera package for this sophisticated vehicle includes:
4 x OE14-366 colour zoom cameras, 1 x OE13-124 BIT low light navigation camera, 1 x OE14-376 light ring camera and 4 x OE10-102 serial controlled electric pan & tilt units.
The second contract is for an extensive package of cameras and accessories to be installed on three of the latest generation of SMD mining vehicles. These vehicles are flexible subsea production tools, which will be used to mine copper and gold a mile below the surface. For each mining vehicle Kongsberg Maritime is supplying a sophisticated payload of camera sensors and accessories including:
2 x colour OE14-366A colour zoom cameras, 2 x OE13-124 BIT low light navigation cameras, 2 x mini fixed colour OE14-110 cameras, 1 x OE14-122 PATZ (Pan and Tilt Zoom) dome camera and 4 x OE10-102 serial controlled electric pan & tilt units.
“ Kongsberg Maritime underwater cameras and positioning devices are proven to withstand extreme conditions, including low visibility and high vibration and shock levels, which makes them ideal for use in harsh environment trenching and mining operations as well as for regular ROV operations, and we are pleased to have supported SMD’s full range of vehicles for many years with the latest camera equipment, including these impressive high end vehicles ,” comments Bill Stuart Sales Manager, Kongsberg Maritime Camera Group .
Uniquely Kongsberg Maritime is the only camera manufacturer that offers the complete suite of in-house manufactured underwater cameras and accessories, including standard definition and high definition colour inspection cameras, low-light monochrome navigation cameras, sophisticated Pan and Tilt Zoom (PATZ) and Zoom Rotate and Tilt (ZRAT) dome cameras, specialised digital stills cameras, flashguns, lamps and rugged electrical pan & tilt and rotator positioning units.
The Kongsberg Maritime cameras and accessories chosen by SMD for its latest generation vehicles are market leading in their own rights. The OE10-102 has fast become the electrical underwater pan & tilt unit of choice since its launch less than 3 years ago, with SMD alone having now purchased over 100, in addition to over 70 similar OE10-103 single axis rotator versions.
The OE14-366 has become established as the industry standard general purpose ROV inspection camera with over 2000 units now sold. The OE14-124 BIT navigation camera offers the best low light performance available and has proven itself as a worthy replacement for the world’s best-selling OE1324 SIT camera while the OE14-122 PATZ dome camera is the best-selling deep water dome camera on the market.
[mappress] Source: Kongsberg, August 10, 2012; Image: SMD