Will SUSY rescue sinking vessels?

Using technology originally developed for submarine rescue, the research team is developing a system which can be used in a wide range of maritime applications. These include salvage, emergency sub-division of roll-on/roll-off ferry car decks, self-righting buoyancy for fishing vessels in the event of capsize and emergency buoyancy to stabilise ships with holed compartments.

The new solution uses Kevlar reinforced balloons that can be rapidly inflated to provide extra buoyancy, expelling water and keeping the vessel afloat until repairs or other emergency measures are implemented. By preventing damaged ships from sinking, BMT considers that the technology could help minimise the risk of major loss of life at sea.

The team, consisting of researchers from nine companies spread throughout Europe, call the system SUSY (surfacing system for ship recovery) and were inspired by submarine rescue technology from the European space company Astrium and ideas proposed by the BALance Technology Consulting from Germany.

Rory Doyle, senior research scientist at BMT Group, said: “While we may not be ready to raise the Titanic, the SUSY project team is developing a system which will allow us to salvage or stabilise damaged vessels more efficiently than we do today.” He continued: “The potential environmental, safety and financial benefits of SUSY are enormous, providing us with the first tools to assess and advise on the impact of using buoyancy systems to stabilise or resurface ships.”

The research team at BMT Group Ltdsecured a €2.65 million grant from the European Commission for the consortium to carry out the research.