Boat loading tech to help fight piracy
South Africa
,
13 Jul 2012
Boat loading tech to help fight piracy
South Africa's Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has developed a system for loading more boats onto ships, which it says will help the SA Navy (SAN) more effectively fight piracy.
The CSIR said its maritime security team came up with a removable davit system that fits onto a shipping container footprint mounted and adapted on the ship’s deck, after conducting research into controlled surface deployment of boats from moving ships. The system was put through stringent sea trials along the Cape Peninsula with various boats of differing design from the Maritime Reaction Squadron, South African Special Forces as well as the South African Navy.
“The davit system can accommodate boats of various hull shapes weighing up to 5 tonnes. The system comprises a wave compensating hydraulic davit system mounted on a load vector compensating base. The base also houses the drive system with local and remote controls, stored energy for a full deployment and recovery operation, as well as the logistic support equipment needed for the boat. Boats, as well as crew, can be lowered and retrieved safely by the davit system while the ship is underway. Two of these davit systems are normally fitted to a ship, with another two boats housed in the ships boat bay on CSIR-developed cradle systems,” the Centre said.
The CSIR added that, during the development phase and sea trials, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) needed to respond to an actual piracy threat on the east coast of Africa. With the pilot model installed, the SAN had their first success with the CSIR’s new system – despite it still being a demonstrator version.
“With such technology as building blocks to a highly mobile, integrated maritime capability, the SA Navy is in a stronger position to counter maritime threats, protect maritime assets (including natural resources), as well as economic sea-lines of communication, against multi-national crime syndicates,” the CSIR noted. “It is also better equipped to safeguard the integrity of territorial waters along the South African – and broader African – coasts.”