Industry Guide - Marine and Specialist Vessel Sector

IMCA Marine Division members operate the specialist vessels that are used both directly to undertake offshore and subsea construction, pipe and cable laying and supply activities and to support the work of contractors in IMCA’s other technical divisions - diving, offshore survey and ROV. They also operate other vessels, such as accommodation and drilling vessels, shuttle tankers and floating production units.

Such vessels are purpose built for operations in demanding offshore environments all around the globe. They are usually classed for dynamic positioning and, as such, are often equipped with levels of propulsion and redundancy well in excess of those found on merchant vessels.

Lifting is a key part of almost all offshore and subsea operations. It can range from lifting of stores and spares handling through lifting diving bells and ROVs to complicated and heavy lifts of jackets and platform decks - there could be in excess of 200 different lifting operations on a vessel. The cranes, winches and related systems operated on IMCA members’ vessels ranges from smaller pieces to massive heavy lift cranes capable of raising over 14,000 tonnes - significantly more than land-based equipment.

IMCA Marine Division members include those operating vessels around the world, together with a variety of equipment manufacturers, consultants, training and personnel providers and oil company clients.