‘Polarsyssel’ equipped with Aptomar’s oil spill detection technology

October 2, 2014

Norway’s Aptomar will provide its oil spill detection and combating technology to Fafnir Offshore’s Polarsyssel vessel that will operate offshore Svalbard.

The Polarsyssel PSV was recently delivered to Fafnir Offshore, Icelandic offshore service company , from Havyard Ship Technology’s yard in Leirvik in Sogn, Norway.

A long-term contract has been secured for the vessel, under which it will operate six months per year, over the next six years, for the Governor of Svalbard.

Svalbard is a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Situated north of mainland Europe, it is about midway between continental Norway and the North Pole.

“The Arctic ecosystem is extremely vulnerable. As the oil industry moves further north, it is vital that offshore assets have the highest quality oil spill detection systems onboard as it will allow the industry to combat any potential oil spill before it reaches shore. We are very pleased that Fafnir, through Havyard, has chosen Aptomar’s technology for this vessel,” says Lars Solberg, CEO of Aptomar.

Fafnir has selected Aptomar’s SECurus system, which combines stabilized long-range infrared (IR), digital video cameras, and search light with an electronic chart system.

The SECurus is utilised to verify alarms generated by an oil spill detection (OSD) radar processor, and provide decision support information to combat oil spills.

According to Aptomar, SECurus is the first sensor on the market that can measure and position the relative thickness of an oil spill, which combined with an oil spill detection radar is the market’s best solution to detect and combat oil spills.

In addition, the system will be a tool for high risk operations like surveillance, search and rescue, firefighting and towing, helping to reduce the probability and consequence of an unintended incident.

Fafnir Offshore is a newly established offshore services company focused on serving the oil industry in the North Atlantic. Over the next few years the company aims to establish a fleet of specialized vessels built for the harsh conditions of Arctic waters.

“As a company operating in the harsh Arctic environment, we depend on the most robust and functional equipment and technology available in the market. That is why we have opted for the Havyard 832 L WE design and Aptomar’s technology, which can identify both people, oil, and ice in the dark,” says Steingrímur Erlingsson, CEO of Fafnir Offshore.

Polarsyssel is the first vessel of the Havyard 832 L WE (Wave Edition) design. The vessel is 88.5 x 17.6 metres, has a deadweight of 3,700 tonnes and a cabin capacity of 30 people.

The video below shows the recent christening ceremony for the Polarsyssel, held in Svalbard.