Location and inspection

Side scan sonar

Before any object or wreck can be salvaged, it first has to be located. The quickest method for this is Side Scan Survey (SSS). This uses a towed fish emitting a sonar signal on either side. The signal feedback is used to create an electronic picture of the sea bed accurately showing up any objects. All images can be recorded and an accurate GPS location of the object or wreck obtained.

Remotely operated vehicle

Sending divers down is a costly and sometimes dangerous and unnecessary step. If the decision to simply survey a located object or wreck has been taken, especially if it is in deep water or fast unpredictable tidal areas, then a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) can be used to good effect. It may also be the case that there is no option but to send a diver down and in situations such as these a ROY can act as the diver's "look out".

Hulltec have gained vast experience of both the SSS and ROV inspection methods. Each time these methods have been employed by Hulltec, the client has obtained the desired results at a fraction of the costs that using divers would have entailed.

Deep diving

There are also certain times when only a diver will do. Hulltec have successfully carried out deep  diving jobs down to 50 metres. This is the maximum depth for air breathing divers carrying out video inspections for insurance reasons. This type of diving requires pre-planning, the right equipment and floating plant. Hulltec is the only diving company in Northern Ireland with its own decompression chamber which is essential for this type of deep diving work.

Location and inspection clients include:

• Sunderland Marine Insurance
• NTL
• Dolphin Drilling