Purpose built daughter craft delivered to diving contractor

Ray Hughes (left) hands over daughter craft to John Marsden

MAY 15, 2015 — Sharjah, UAE, headquartered Unique Group has delivered two new dive systems and a diving vessel worth around £5 million to diving contractor Vertech.

The Hydracraft 1500 daughter craft vessel, named the Vaila, is nearly 50 ft long and designed for air diving activity. The hull is designed to provide enhanced stability, optimizing operational efficiency.

The Vaila can hold a maximum of 10 people and will be based at a Northeast U.K. port, with the ability to deploy anywhere around the world.   It has its own single launch and recovery system, the Macgregor G150 Davit, which is the largest lifting davit manufactured by Macgregor to date.

Unique Group’s U.K. Managing Director, Ray Hughes, handed the vessel over to Vertech’s U.K. Managing Director, John Marsden, and Vertech’s Diving Manager, Alan Melia in Aberdeen last week.

Unique Group says the Vaila is the first daughter craft that has been built for purpose, from concept through to design. Other vessels used for the same purposes have been conversions of existing craft. The daughter craft system is designed for conducting diving operations for underwater inspection in locations inaccessible by larger vessels.

The project was initiated when Vertech (under its previous identity, Global Diving) formed a new commercial diving entity and approached Unique for surface diving systems. Concept development for the daughter craft began in May 2014.

“We have worked closely with our client, ensuring the design and operations of the vessel are first class,” said Unique’s Ray Hughe. “It is essential that the craft and its associated equipment provide a safe and comfortable working environment for the divers and crew onboard. Unique Group’s strength is in our continued ability to provide turnkey solutions tailored to suit our clients’ requirements. The supply of the daughter craft and dive systems demonstrates the versatility and diversity of our energy sector capabilities.”
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At Vertech it is really important that we provide our clients with the very best safety performance, service, and value,” said Mr. Marsden. “The dive systems we have purchased from Unique Group are a key part of this; the systems themselves are well proven with a good track record. They have been designed to meet our onerous specifications and incorporate all the latest recommendations from IMCA. This kit is state-of-the-art and the service we have received from Unique has exceeded our expectations.”