This project will deliver a working prototype Remotely Operated Vehicle technology for the recovery of scallops from the seafloor in an environmentally sustainable manner.
£184,776.10
12 months
Underwater Contracting Limited (“UCO”) successfully completed a feasibility study in 2022 to prove the concepts for sustainable recovery of shellfish using remote technology. This R&D project is in direct continuation of that scope, extending the work into a full-scale Research & Development Project.
The R&D programme will be conducted over a period of 12 months and operate in “real world” conditions, using an ROV deployed system as the primary method of shellfish recovery in substitution of divers onboard a vessel provided by a project collaborator. The aim is to prove that the technology can deliver the same or improved yield, whilst maintaining a sustainable approach and limiting environmental impacts on habitats in an operational context and reducing the usage of traditional dredging methodology.
The R&D project shall deliver a working prototype capable of providing operational data and insights to establish the final product requirements, including handling, operational performance and commercial modelling through the installation and operation of the system for execution of an operational testing programme onboard a vessel. The spread shall operate in a range of conditions and water depths to gather operational data.
Data will be presented in the form of productivity figures, video evidence of habitat and operations and final reports detailing the results.
Underwater Contracting Limited