SeaBasing

We work with the Office of Naval Research (ONR) to develop cutting-edge technology used to support U.S. Navy capability objectives.

Large Vessel Interface Lift On/Lift Off (LVI Lo/Lo)

We developed a robotic marine crane for the ONR. The Large Vessel Interface Lift On/Lift Off (LVI Lo/Lo) capability enables the safe and efficient transfer of standard, containerized cargo between two ships at sea in up to sea state 4 conditions.

The specially engineered crane senses the relative motion of an adjacent ship and synchronizes the payload motion of the crane-hosting vessel to match, increasing safety and effectiveness.

The crane's end effector mates to the standard rail system of a container ship, facilitating the loading or removal of containers from the hull—regardless of the ship’s motion.  

Interface Ramp Technologies

Interface Ramp Technologies (IRT) is a Science and Technology program, funded by the ONR, that is committed to advancing technologies in support of at-sea vehicle transfer between ships in elevated sea states.

As part of the program, the Oceaneering team designed a new, motion-controlled ramp and demonstrated its motion control capability. The IRT ramp system incorporates a weight-optimized aluminum structure and an innovative hydraulic/electric motor arrangement that minimizes the overall system weight and power requirements. Additionally, the unique arrangement of system elements enables our ramp system to flex and compensate for large relative ship-to-ship motions.

We fabricated the major structures of the ramp, and assembled and load tested at our Hanover, Md., facility in July 2014. The ramp demonstrated its capabilities on a large motion platform that simulated relative ship motion. Military vehicles, including an Abrams M1A1 tank, traversed between the stationary base of the ramp and the foot of the ramp on the motion platform. The test was fully successful and the ramp was delivered to the ONR.

Advanced Mooring System

The Advanced Mooring System (AMS) is a Science and Technology program funded by the ONR to develop an at-sea, ship-to-ship mooring capability to support U.S. Marine and humanitarian aid operations. The system is capable of completing ship-to-ship mooring operations in up to sea state 4 conditions [8.2 ft (2.5 m) of significant wave height].

The modular AMS is secured at the rail of a host vessel to provide rapid, lineless, and automated mooring to a vessel maneuvering alongside. The system uses articulating vacuum pads on telescoping booms to attach to the hull material of an approaching vessel. The AMS increases crew safety, as no line handling or manual mooring adjustments are needed. Additionally, the system reduces surge, sway, and yaw motions associated with conventional mooring methods, and effectively reduces the motion requirements of ship transfer equipment including cranes and ramps.

Prior to delivery to the ONR, the AMS underwent extensive at-sea testing. In 2016, it was integrated onto a U.S. Navy host platform and successfully performed approximately 40 vacuum attachments to a simulated hull profile of a Spearhead-class Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) vessel in protected, inshore conditions.  

Contact Us | SeaBasing

Company page Since our founding in the early 1960s, Oceaneering has expanded and grown globally to service several industries such as the offshore energy industry, defense, entertainment, material handling, aerospace, science, and renewable energy industries. In 1964, Mike Hughes and Johnny Johnson formed a Gulf of Mexico diving company called World Wide Divers. The company grew in response to increasing demand for their services and in 1969 merged with two other diving companies to form Oceaneering International, Inc. To solve the toughest challenges, we do things differently, creatively, and smarter. As your trusted partner, our unmatched experience and truly innovative portfolio of technologies and solutions give us the flexibility to adapt and evolve, regardless of market conditions. Our mission is to solve the unsolvable. We thrive by creating industry-changing technically creative solutions for the most complex operational challenges under water, on land, and in space. Our five core values establish a common culture and demonstrate what is most important for us as a company. Since the beginning, the company has transformed from a small regional diving company into a global provider of engineered products and services. Today, we develop products and services for use throughout the lifecycle of an offshore oilfield, from drilling to decommissioning. We operate the world's premier fleet of work class ROVs. Additionally, we are a leader in offshore oilfield maintenance services, umbilicals, subsea hardware, and tooling. We also serve the aerospace, defense, and theme park industries. Underpinning everything we do, safety is not only the foundation of our core values, but it is vital to our unmatched performance record and company culture. The industries we serve are as diverse as they are complex. Whether we are engineering deepwater umbilicals or developing robotics for aerospace applications, the safety and health of our employees, vendors, and customers is an integral part of our day-to-day business. If we are working, then our responsibility is to be working safely. Since our inception in 1964, we have placed a high value on employee safety—from diving services and subsea inspection to vessel-based installation operations. We have and will continue to evolve not only our health, safety, and environmental (HSE) processes, but those of the industries in which we work. Although we have been fatality-free since 1999, our HSE journey goes beyond statistics. As our portfolio of services has grown, we have continued to prioritize and advance our approach to HSE.