Dometic Marine supplies spill recovery equipment

HVAC specialist, Dometic Marine, has supplied air-conditioning equipment for Gobbler Boats’ ground-breaking oil spill recovery vessel which is due to be introduced at this year’s Seawork International.

Designed to operate in extreme conditions, from Arctic to tropical locations, the unique Gobbler Boats Offshore 290 has been fitted with a Dometic Turbo air-conditioning unit, providing 6000 Btus of cooling or heating power with auto dehumidification. Additionally, a Dometic Breathe Easy Air Purifier has been installed to eliminate fuel odours.

Designed to be able to respond to oil incidents of all sizes and types

The 3.5 t, dedicated 8.85 m (29 ft) shallow draft water-jet vessel is structurally Lloyds certified to 150 nautical miles offshore and is able to respond to oil incidents of all sizes and types – from small spills and breakaway pockets to large established slicks, in a multitude of worldwide river, lake, coastal or ocean locations. The Gobbler vessel has a unique hull design which draws oil to the skimmer, where recovered oil is pumped internally to quick-release towed bladders, enabling continuous recovery operations. It can be launched from all terrains off a type-approved custom-built trailer, carried aboard ships and deployed with a custom launch cradle to combat accidents at sea and can also be transported by aircraft to isolated locations.

With the capacity to collect up to 40 t per hour of water-free re-claimable oil, the patented Gobbler vessel can operate for 24 hours a day, without the need to return ashore to discharge. Therefore, effective air-conditioning and air-purification is essential to maintain an ideal environment for crew comfort and machinery efficiency in what is deemed a hazardous environment.

Health and safety paramount

Co-owner of Gobbler Boats, Paul Jauncey, commented: “Air-conditioning and purification is vital for the scenarios in which we work to keep our crews healthy. People died from toxic inhalation in the Deepwater Horizon disaster of 2010 and our research showed that such tragedies were avoidable. Reverse cycle heating will give an element of comfort to our crews who will eventually be working in the colder and Arctic regions as oil exploration comes onstream.”

Providing a powerful, compact and quiet self-contained air-conditioning system, the Dometic Turbo is ideally suited to boats up to 60 ft. Its unique ‘marine-optimised design’ features a rust-free moulded composite drain pan and has three drains for the rapid removal of condensate water. The Turbo’s advanced cushioning system results in quieter, virtually vibration-free operation, while its enclosed blower motor eliminates overhang to provide easier installation.

Dometic Breathe Easy Air Purifiers use innovative Photocatalytic Nano-Mesh technology with ultraviolet (UV) light to improve air quality and are available for either in-duct installation or as a portable unit.

Challenging offshore conditions

Paul Hickinbotham, Director EMEA - Sales and Administrations & Commercial Division at Dometic, said: “The Gobbler Boats vessel could be operating for long periods of time offshore in challenging conditions responding to oil pollution scenarios, so we were very pleased to supply the Dometic equipment for such a versatile and unique vessel. Our compact self-contained systems are ideal for smaller boats, such as the 29 ft Gobbler Boats vessel, as they can be installed in small interior areas. The Breathe Easy uses innovative technology to improve air quality for fresher and healthier air for the crew.”

Visitors to Seawork International can find Gobbler Boats on Stand C37 and C147 and afloat on Stand V52. For more information about Dometic’s range of air-conditioning systems and other products, visit Stand A19 at this year’s show.

 

Adapted from press release by Cecilia Rehn

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/offshore-and-subsea/16062015/dometic-marine-supplies-spill-recovery-equipment/