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THS Newsnote April 2021 R4

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THS Newsnote April 2021 R4 The Hovercraft Society Formed in 1971 News Notes NO 4 / 2021 RNLI’s Hurley Spirit on the way to a rescue, courtesy Griffon Hoverwork starting their own external client Newsletter, and we hope to be able to report some news INTRODUCTION from that in future issues. This month we have an article on the UK RNLI hovercraft, including where they are and some We have been in touch with Hovertravel in the recent news. The RNLI craft appear to be very last month, and they are keen to collaborate active and useful over the wide tidal expanses with us by offering some special deals if around where they are based. members travel with them to Ryde or on one of their Solent cruises. More on this later! Following development of their first hybrid powered hovercraft in 2017/18 Griffon Work continues on gathering materials to build Hoverwork have recently sold several of these the THS Internet site. It is hoped to incorporate 995ED craft during 2020 and made it known in at least some of this during May and June. a media release in January this year. The 995ED In the meantime, your editor has spent a little has similar capability to the RNLI craft while time this month rooting among the host of video incorporating much new technology that has materials on YouTube. only recently become available. I find it quite difficult to find material I ‘know Griffon Hoverwork have also been busy is there somewhere’ and so like to record the recently updating their internet site – a visit is links so I can get back to the right place. definitely recommended. They are also now 1 Searches seem to come up with all sorts of roles. Top speed is 30 knots at full ‘all up strange videos. weight’. I have written about some good material I found Griffon Hoverwork Sales and Marketing this month down below and hope that electronic director, Nick MacLeod-Ash, said the readers will find the links useful. Perhaps better hovercraft’s unique capabilities were critical to than more news about Covid. winning the latest deals. Later on perhaps I will make some ‘collections’ to put on pages in the internet site. GRIFFON 995ED DELIVERIES From Polaris media 13.01.2021: Hovercraft builder Griffon Hoverwork delivers new 995EDs to Hong Kong and Estonia | Polaris Media Hong Kong Marine Department 995ED courtesy Griffon Hoverwork “Hovercraft like the 995ED are more effective, efficient and environmentally sensitive than ordinary patrol boats and RIBs as they can operate over shallow waters, debris and ice which boats cannot, moreover they have a big advantage with higher passenger capacity and payload than helicopters which are also extremely expensive,” he said. Nick MacLeod-Ash, Sales & Marketing “In Hong Kong the 995ED is suited to operate Director, Griffon Hoverwork over parts of the region’s shallow and highly congested waters counteracting illegal trade and fishing. This is in addition to the 380TD we Southampton-UK based hovercraft recently sold to the Agriculture, Fisheries and manufacturer Griffon Hoverwork has delivered Conservation department for research two of its new 995ED craft to clients in Hong purposes. Kong Marine Department and one to Estonia Meanwhile in Estonia the 995ED is performing Border Guard border guard operations over ground and ice. The deals have seen two eight-metre-long For these clients, the 995ED’s environmental 995EDs made for the Hong Kong Marine benefits were important as the craft is quiet, fast Department and one for Estonian Border and hovers above the surface without disturbing Guard. marine life. In total seven 995ED hovercraft have been built Boats operating in shallow water frequently and sold since the model was unveiled at the damage their structure and propellers on rocks Expo Naval trade fair in Chile in 2018 with or ice but hovercraft have an air gap under the clients ranging from the Malaysia and Peru to hull which makes them less vulnerable to private customers in Siberia and Germany. hazards and more effective.” The 995ED entry price is around £650,000 with Mr MacLeod-Ash said Griffon is seeing a plenty of options, and the craft has capacity for recovery in the exports market with a good eight people or up to four stretchers or any order book and demand across Griffon’s range combination up to a maximum payload of just from large to smaller hovercraft together with under a tonne making it suitable for a variety of the support services and consultancy the company offers. 2 “Overseas clients are coming to Griffon for Ed’s Note: quality,” he said. “Unfortunately, the hovercraft The UK Hovercraft Code referred to is the code market is being cluttered with hovercraft being for small craft up to 12 passengers and 24m in offered by manufacturers who do not have the length, see here for a copy: knowledge and experience to design and build QUALIFICATION TESTING hovercraft that comply with IMO Code or Class (publishing.service.gov.uk) rules. As the original hovercraft manufacturer set up by one of the early pioneers of the The IMO High Speed Craft Code now regulates hovercraft, Sir Christopher Cockerell, Griffon craft larger than this. The main Classification Hoverwork leads the world in these standards Societies and regulatory bodies use this as a of build and aftercare. basis for their regulations. A listing of the links to the IMO HSC and many classification Society documents is in our resources document under Rules and Regulations on page 4 of the pdf: Key References and Internet Links » The Hovercraft Society Classification Societies now for the most part give open access to their regulations and guidelines, which is very helpful to designers. Designing craft that meet these codes can be a challenge nevertheless! GH 995ED courtesy Griffon Hoverwork -------------------------------------------------------- Griffon Nigeria 2000TD medical trials The 995ED was the first hovercraft to achieve certification against the UK Hovercraft Code and Griffon generally builds to the IMO High Speed Craft Code. Our hovercraft are always certified to the preferred Class Society for whichever country they operate in, and past examples include Lloyds Register, DNV, ABS and the Korean Register.” Across multiple continents, there are places that are difficult or timely to access by conventional Mr MacLeod-Ash said a key design benefit of boat or road. Following the rollout of the Griffon’s hovercraft hull is they are built of world's vaccine programme against COVID- aluminium unlike competitor’s craft, which are 19 it is crucial that vulnerable people get the made of Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) also protection they need, and the COVAX known as fibreglass. programme led by GAVI; the Coalition for “Aluminium is far more robust when the Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI); hovercraft is operating over a harder surface and the WHO (World Health like a beach, flood debris or ice,” he said. “It is Organization) will help facilitate this. also much easier to repair with less training and However, from a logistical point of view, how fewer specialist tools. Furthermore, it is easier can this be done as rapidly as possible to allow to inspect aluminium through-life and as a countries to begin to return to normality? An result cheaper to maintain. Because of the example of where a hovercraft solution could surfaces and areas that hovercraft are operated assist this program is evident in Nigeria, as in, it is lower risk and cheaper through life to proven recently by the medically configured build in aluminium than GRP although this 2000TD operating there. does make the initial acquisition price more expensive. Our experience supplying and The majority of the Covid-19 vaccines in sustaining hovercraft around the world has development need to be stored in a freezer at - taught us that and several are still in service 80 °C to -60 °C then stored in the original after 30 years of hard operations.” package in order to protect from light. Once removed from the freezer, the undiluted vaccine -------------------------------------------------------- can be stored for up to 5 days at 2 °C to 8 °C, 3 and up to 2 hours at temperatures up to 25 °C, in the lagoon of weed and debris in the water, prior to use. sand banks, sand dredging pipes and fishing The hovercraft itself has the ability to carry 12 nets where conventional displacement boats passengers (UK Statutory Compliant) and a were not to be able to follow. medical fridge that keeps the vaccines at This is a project that the BISEN1 consortium optimal temperatures for delivery. This is of members have been working on with its clients particular interest to Lagos as temperatures are for around five years to navigate the challenges higher than a minimum of 18°C in Nigeria. of licencing, exporting, customs clearances, Utilising solar to keep the fridge powered and commissioning a hovercraft. Finally, it is provides a solution that is both environmentally hoped to see the first hovercraft in action on the friendly and effective for the citizens of Lagos. waterways. As we begin 2021 the Coast Guard is now in an excellent position to ensure a stronger than ever effectiveness over the shallows of the Lagos Lagoon. Nigeria has many needs, matched with a willingness to work with international partners to improve the lives of its citizens. This has been clearly evident in Lagos where we have seen true cooperation from many stakeholder groups including the Nigerian Navy Dockyard Limited, Joint Maritime Security Training Centre, National Primary Healthcare Delivery Agency, Lagos State Waterways Authority and British Deputy High Commission to name a few. Top GH 2000TD in Lagos, Above the on- These points matter because Lagos relies board fridge.
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