Kongsberg Maritime has signed its first contract for a state-of-the-art ROV launch & recovery system (LARS), specifically designed to handle remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) from unmanned vessels.

The contract has been signed with Ocean Infinity, who will install the system on their Armada fleet of cutting-edge robotic ships.

KONGSBERG’s LARS is an essential component in a system designed to ensure that no people are required at sea while carrying out subsea operations. This innovation enables the deployment of remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) by teams based onshore.

The system uses a pure electric drive system, making it more environmentally sustainable and significantly reducing the need for maintenance. Launch & recovery will happen through the moon pool, with the release and capture of the ROV occurring beneath the sea surface. This eliminates the possibility of damage to the ROV from impact with the vessel hull. Another benefit is that launching and recovery can be carried out in higher sea states.

Subsea expertise

“The new LARS solution is developed in close collaboration with the Ocean Infinity team. It benefits from a unique combination of our advanced subsea technologies, reinforced with years of accumulated offshore expertise,” says Lisa Edvardsen Haugan, Executive Vice President, Deck Machinery & Motion Control, Kongsberg Maritime.

“We believe this will be a game changer,” she continues. “The cost of ROV operations can be drastically decreased through use of this system. We expect to see more companies transition to using unmanned vessels to reduce operational costs and increase safety.”