Aberdeenshire-based ROV and engineering firm, Aleron Subsea, has won the first contract for its new hybrid TRACKROV technology which will see it supporting UXO clearance work on an offshore wind project in the Netherlands.

The TRACKROV vehicle has been built to operate on the seabed for extended periods and in currents of up to three knots. By designing it as a heavy flotation free system, it can stay in the water longer than work-class ROVs typically utilised for these seabed survey campaigns, Aleron explains.

The vehicle can be deployed from a small ROV A-Frame or vessel crane and is fitted with the Pangeo Subsea Sub Bottom Imaging (SBI) system, a high flow dredge pump and a series of survey sensors to locate and identify potential UXO targets.

“TRACKROV was designed to support multiple tasks for clients who require seabed operations completed around the world in regions known for their challenging tide and current conditions. It was a complex task but one we have met head on thanks to the engineering skills of our in-house team and their experience in supporting other similar projects in the renewables and oil and gas arenas,” said Mike Bisset, Aleron Subsea technical director.

“We now have a unique system for the market which can be used for target identification, subsea excavation, clearance, survey and tooling tasks. Coupled with the Pangeo Subsea SBI system which provides a real-time view of the seabed in 3D, this latest addition to our rental fleet is proving to be a very cost efficient, adaptable and versatile system.”

TRACKROV is the latest remotely operated technology to be designed and built by Aleron Subsea. The company also has work class ROVs in its portfolio as well as its AUXROV vehicle which is designed to support boulder clearance projects in the wind farm market.