SMD Sign Contract to Supply QTrencher 500 Cable Maintenance ROV to TE SubCom
Wednesday 22 August 2018
World leading subsea equipment design and manufacturer Soil Machine Dynamics Ltd (SMD) announced the signature of a contract to supply a QTrencher 500 Cable Maintenance ROV to TE SubCom.
The QTrencher 500 will be delivered in Q1 2019. The vehicle will come equipped with SMD’s latest surface control and power cabin layout. SMD’s Deck Equipment business will also supply a 12.5Te Wide Angle A-Frame operational in sea state 5 and an umbilical winch with steel armoured umbilical for operation in 2500mwd.
QTrencher 500
The QTrencher 500 has been developed especially for this order, using proven SMD cable maintenance tools together in an ultra-compact and lightweight arrangement, this system provides a low cost and low footprint solution. The QTrencher 500 uses high voltage transmission to provide maximum thrust and jetting performance. The ROV is capable of trenching to a depth of up to 3.0m with multiple passes dependent on the ground conditions.
SMD have an impressive track record in supplying robust and reliable cable maintenance and trenching equipment. Over 50% of the world’s cables and 80% of telecoms cables have been buried and protected by SMD’s trenching equipment.
Deck Equipment
The 12.5Te wide angle A-Frame is designed for a safe and controlled launch, the wide angle operation gets the vehicle closer to the water and further outboard from the vessel during launch and recovery, which is key in protecting the vehicle and umbilical through the splash zone.
SMD Launch and Recovery equipment is designed to the highest standards which includes live diagnostics and equipment monitoring during operations allowing operators to understand equipment readiness levels and take pro-active maintenance regimes.
Services
SMD Services’ dedicated customer training team will deliver bespoke training courses to ensure TE SubCom’s operational team are equipped with the necessary operating skills while on operation offshore. Alongside the trenching and deck equipment, SMD Services will be supplying a spares container which will house critical spares while out on operation, including a spare umbilical.