Service Machine Group Develops Plans for a Diving Support Vessel

Service Machine Group, Inc., a Terramar company headquartered in Morgan City, La. in cooperation with Design Associates, Inc., of New Orleans, has developed plans to produce a 205-foot diving support vessel (the DSV 205).

Service Machine president Tom Hensley and Mat Kawasaki of Design Associates, naval architects and marine engineers, said the vessel carries a White Gill thruster system and Z-Peller main drive for computerized dynamic positioning. The vessel is designed to utilize heavy fuel for economy of power and maintenance.

Planned primarily as a specialized vessel for diving work in the Gulf of Mexico but with severe environmental capability, the 300- meter Lloyd's classed system permits saturation of 12 divers for continuous eight-man operations.

The three-man bell fitted for observation or lock-out dives is to be equipped with internal and external television to receive input from computer depth scanners.

The bell also carries duplicated hardware communications selfcontained through a water emergency telephone, a semiautomatic oxygen injection system, and divers' gas reclaim system.

The DSV 205 bell handling system includes a heave compensated winch, composite umbilical and winch, captive cage, guide wire system, bell control cabin overlooking moon pool, four point mooring, and a bell handling area.

Mr. Hensley said the chamber complex includes three 2,300-mm four-man living chambers with back projecting TVs for entertainment and briefing, hospital facilities, two vertical 2,000-mm transfer chambers with showers and toilets, three external gas regenerators and manifold, as well as a saturation control cabin.

Powering the DSV 205 are four main engines Wartsila Vasa 22HF model 8R2HF 8-cylinder, 1,000 kw capacity at 900 rpm (1,250 bhp) harbor generator 4R22HF with 500 kw at 900 rpm (625 hp). These engines provide 4,000 kw to supply the SCR system for the main drive and auxiliary power.

Measuring 205 by 50 by 22 feet, the DSV 205 accommodates 60 persons with fully air-conditioned living quarters with recreation rooms, lounges, offices, and a heliport.

Special equipment aboard the DSV 205 includes a 50-ton crane, a 25-ton crane, and a Gantry crane to handle diving bell entry and retrieval through the moon pool.

Also, the vessel design includes an "A" frame on the stern for deployment and retrieval of RCVs and ROVs. Ample helium storage space is provided, and the vessel carries an anti-roll tank. Uses projected for the vessel include salvage, industrial development such as pipeline inspection, pipe repair, rig inspection, jacket installation, pile grouting, pipeline riser hookup, and pipeline trenching support, as well as geophysical and military assignments.