P A P E R 2007 MTS Overview of Manned Underwater Vehicle Activity AUTHOR ABSTRACT William Kohnen There are approximately 100 active manned submersibles in operation around the world; Chair, MTS Manned Underwater in this overview we refer to all non-military manned underwater vehicles that are used for Vehicles Committee scientific, research, tourism, and commercial diving applications, as well as personal leisure SEAmagine Hydrospace Corporation craft. The Marine Technology Society committee on Manned Underwater Vehicles (MUV) maintains the only comprehensive database of active submersibles operating around the world and endeavors to continually bring together the international community of manned Introduction submersible operators, manufacturers and industry professionals. The database is maintained he year 2007 did not herald a great through contact with manufacturers, operators and owners through the Manned Submersible number of new manned submersible de- program held yearly at the Underwater Intervention conference. Tployments, although the industry has expe- The most comprehensive and detailed overview of this industry is given during the UI rienced significant momentum. Submersi- conference, and this article cannot cover all developments within the allocated space; there- bles continue to find new applications in fore our focus is on a compendium of activity provided from the most dynamic submersible tourism, science and research, commercial builders, operators and research organizations that contribute to the industry and who share and recreational work; the biggest progress their latest information through the MTS committee. This article presents a short overview coming from the least likely source, namely of submersible activity in 2007, including new submersible construction, operation and the leisure markets. The year’s most sensa- regulatory activity of research, tourism, commercial diving and recreational applications. tional news was unquestionably achieved The scope of this article is limited to active atmospheric submersibles, and does not include by two Russian submersibles, MIR 1 and historical, ambient pressure, or laid-up submersibles, which would be an entire article on its MIR 2, with their voyage to the bottom own. For a complete overview that includes submersibles not covered in this article, readers of the North Pole. Scientists from the PP are invited to peruse the MTS Manned Underwater Vehicle online database at the committee’s Shirshov Institute of Oceanology duly re- website (www.mtsmuv.org). corded the event and planted a Russian flag there, sparking an international debate over deep submergence vehicle (DSV) project- A lesser number of people tour the oceans the ownership of the North Pole. Other ing their sea trials for 2008; neighboring in smaller submersibles. The tremendous news stories reported submersibles used for Japan claims the deepest operating DSV, tourism growth experienced in the 1990s drug trafficking in South America, creat- the Shinkai 6500; and the latest entrance has leveled out, leading to a stable fleet of ing stereotypes that feed the population’s to the deep submergence club, India, has submersibles. The excellent safety record is imagination with yarns of old submarines issued a public RFP for a 4000 m manned a testament to the high quality guidelines used in dangerous applications. submersible. Led by the National Institute of and regulations that have been generated In reality however, ocean sciences have Ocean Technology, the Indian government over the past 25 years by classing agencies been heavily curtailed due to reductions in has already commissioned a 104 m Ocean such as the American Bureau of Shipping the U.S. federal budgets. The Alvin replace- Research Vessel, the Sagar Nidhii, which was (ABS), Det Norske Veritas (DNV), Cay- ment HOV project, funded through the delivered in January 2008. man Island Shipping Registry (CISR) and National Science Foundation (NSF) and led No segment of the industry introduces Lloyds Register (LR), as well as flag state by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institu- more people to the underwater world than government agencies. tion (WHOI), is in its fourth year with a the numerous tourism operators around Most of the new submersible builds scheduled delivery in 2010 (Dietrich, 2008). the globe. There are approximately 35-40 belong in the market segment for private The effort to deliver a new 6500 m vehicle tourism submersibles operating worldwide. leisure use. While regulatory adherence is on schedule and on budget is an ongoing The vast majority of passengers are toured fully established in classic commercial appli- challenge amidst tight budgetary guidelines. by a few operators of large 44-64 passenger cations such as tourism and research, there Overseas, however, budgets are burgeon- submersibles that typically dive to depths are few formal requirements for private ve- ing. China is making steady progress in the ranging between 100-150 feet, and per- hicles. This has the advantage of facilitating completion and testing of a 7000 m-rated form from 2000 to 5000 dives each year. modifications of existing design guidelines 26 Marine Technology Society Journal as well as the establishing new ones, but 1. Alvin and fabrication of the manned pressure lay owners are at a strict disadvantage to Alvin started the 2007 season in vessel, to be delivered to Lockheed Martin objectively evaluate concepts and operating February by completing 9 cruises for a for integration into the vehicle. procedures of these complex systems. total of 77 dives, ranging from EPR 9N, The luxury yachting market is grow- SoCal, JdF, OR Margin, Guaymas. The ing at a swift pace. In 1993, there were submersible was on layup from February 2. Antipodes fewer than 700 yachts worldwide larger to June for overhaul work and to install Hoffmann Submarines completed the than 80 feet; today there are more than new pieces of equipment to be tested. final stages of the overhaul and ABS clas- 700 new orders on the books for yachts These included new LED lights, a preci- sification of the submersible Antipodes. 80 feet or more. When all delivered, there sion clock for navigation and Frangibolt Antipodes’ present configuration was cre- will be more than 6000 yachts in opera- emergency releases. ated from the pilot compartment and con- tion, many of them between 150 ft and Alvin dove to an average of 2100 m with ning tower from a modular sub originally 250 ft long, large enough to carry private submerged times averaging 7.6 hours and known as the Perry PC-1501 and built for submersibles. The trend has not escaped 5 hours of bottom time (www.whoi.edu). service in the oil fields of the North Sea the notice of large yacht management firms The majority of the dives were for Biology (Hoffmann, 2008). around the world (Boggs, 2008). To foster science (29 dives) followed by Biochemistry Antipodes is a five-person submersible an exchange of techical information, a (22), Geo Chemistry (19) and Geology with unusually large diameter 58” hemi- preliminary dialogue between the yachting (12). Alvin did perform two engineering spherical viewports both bow and stern. and submersible industry was initiated at dives in June to verify the function of the Each viewport has a 46”-wide seat for two the 5th Annual MTS Manned Submersible new equipment, and also to support the and uses a unique feature where the pilot program at the Underwater Intervention Lockheed Martin engineering team that was can move about with the handheld remote conference in January 2008. The response awarded the contract in Summer 2007 for control. The submersible is equipped with was very positive and the effort is likely the design and fabrication of the RHOV. vectored thrusters for precise control. It to make a significant impact in the main- Four team members experienced diving a is classed to a maximum depth of 1000 stream deployment of private submersibles deep submergence submersible. Alvin is feet by the American Bureau of Shipping for the public yachting market. operated by Woods Hole Oceanographic (ABS) for both private use and passengers The biggest technology advancements Institution, designated as the National for hire. Hoffmann Yacht sales has been in the field of subsea tools and instruments Facility Operator. Alvin is presently rated involved with this sub since 1988, and come from Remotely Operated Vehicles to 4500 meters by the U.S. Navy (Brown, has performed all major modifications (ROVs), spurred in large part by the oil 2006). The RHOV scheduled to replace and upgrades in 1997 to integrate it into a industry, and in battery technologies from Alvin will be rated to a maximum depth of 150’ yacht, and later to operate as a tour- the Autonomous Underwater Vehicle 6500 m and will be classed by the American ism submersible in the deep Fiords of New (AUV) industry. Unique to all submersibles Bureau of Shipping. Southwest Research Zealand’s South Island. is the need for autonomous power and high Institute is under contract for the design Antipodes capacity batteries. The major push today is Alvin in the development of lithium-ion-based batteries that provide a significant increase in energy density. More testing and regula- tory approval is in the works to make this commonly available. The biggest changes, however, are seen in the wide variety of high resolution underwater imaging sys- tems that are offered by a growing number of manufacturers, and the emergence of high power LED light technology. The latest developments are one of the areas addressed through the MTS MUV yearly 3. Atlantis Submarines program during the Underwater Interven- Atlantis Adventures operates a family tion conference. of 11 submersibles in nine locations world- The following is a brief summary of wide. The main achievement in 2007 has activity, presented in simple alphabetical been to keep all locations operating safely order of the submersibles. and steadily, a true exception in an industry Spring 2008 Volume 42, Number 1 27 that is marked by irregular business cycles.