The UK’s Milford Haven Port Authority  has confirmed it has retrofitted Zelim’s SWIFT man-overboard recovery conveyor to a 19m pilot vessel as part of a three-month trial to assess the system’s capability in high sea states.

The Port of Milford Haven, located in Pembrokeshire, Wales, and the UK’s leading gateway for the international energy industry, frequently endures high sea states due to its geographical location and exposure to Atlantic swells.

Installation to the 2009-built Picton follows a technology demonstration carried out last year on the River Forth, Scotland, in which multiple in-water “casualties” were recovered in under one minute from falling overboard.

“Demonstrations last year were a huge success, but the MHPA wanted to retrofit SWIFT to an operational vessel to validate its capability in heavy weather before making any procurement decisions,” said Andy Tipping, Zelim’s Business Development Director.

“Performance is so far as expected. Picton has already trialled SWIFT in 2.5m swells, which is the most challenging sea condition we have encountered to date. It’s taken SWIFT to a new level, but it still performed very, very well, as we knew it would.”

John Warneford, MHPA’s Assistant Harbourmaster, said: “With the building of new heavy weather pilot boats underway, we were keen to trial SWIFT aboard an operational pilot boat. These trials allow us to better understand how the technology can improve operational safety for our crews and pilots, but it also supports the rapid recovery of any person in the water, especially given the challenging maritime conditions our crews and customers’ crews face.”

If the trials are a success, SWIFT could be integrated into a series of 22m pilot boats newbuilds under construction, the first of which Netherlands-based Next Generation Shipyards is set to deliver to MHPA next year.

“Pilot boats present a particular challenge to seafarers as they provide a vital service in the worst possible maritime conditions. We have all seen YouTube videos of pilots falling into the sea as they board vessels. This is one of the most dangerous jobs in the maritime industry,” said Tipping. “A SWIFT installation has the potential to set the benchmark high for crew safety.”

SWIFT, which received Lloyd’s Register Type Approval in June, is a treadmill-like conveyor belt system hinged to a rescue crafts’ stern or side. Once the rescue vessel nears the casualty, the conveyor is lowered into the water. Casualties are simply and quickly pulled free of the water upon traction with the conveyor belt system.

Sam Mayall, Zelim’s CEO and founder, furthered: “Port and harbour authorities across the world understand the significant challenges and associated risks involved when someone falls overboard during pilotage operations. The clock starts ticking the moment someone falls overboard, so the faster you can get someone out of the water the greater the chances of recovering them safely and unharmed.

“Speed of recovery is the key philosophy at the heart of this MHPA project as well as the overall opportunity to reduce risk to both the person being recovered as well as the rescuers involved in the recovery.”

Zelim and MPHA will present the SWIFT technology to UK harbour masters and pilots at 136th UKMPA conference and AGM, which takes place in Harrogate, UK, between the 19th to the 21st of November.