The book "An outline of an Advanced Multifunctional Diving Service Vessel" was my final project at the Technical University of Denmark, for which I obtained the Masters degree of Science in Engineering on the 14 August 1986 with a top score. This was probably the reason that I soon after was headhunted to a good position with offshore operator Maersk Oil & Gas.
The book is probably the first scholarly works on the construction of an offshore diving vessel, which is based on the diver's performance, capabilities, vulnerabilities and security for the first then build the package around the divers, consisting of diving equipment, supporting facilities, machinery and ultimately - but not least - the very boat itself in which the outer shell around it all.
Moreover, the argued technical solutions are based solely on the state of the art technologies and methods from top suppliers and top research institutions around the world.
In this way, so is the ship in the book as a whole to reflect or express the true need for the ship's size and its necessary facilities. This is in contrast to how the industry usually comes up with a solution. Usually, the industry is driven by the financial opportunities or desires, what size ship you want to bet on, because only then to look at how much equipment, technique and number of divers who may be crammed into such a vessel in order to solve a given task. This always results in hasty solutions, which often compromises safety and efficiency. Offshore operators had in the 1980s, a serious problem to realize the relationship between the divers’ safety, technology used, and divers’ efficiency.
Some people believed then that the solutions presented in my book was pure science fiction. But thereafter the industry has quickly adapted to this new technology and insight, and I saw that my options were more than surpassed by even more advanced solutions in the decades that followed. It was new solutions which I was privileged to attend and also help to develop.
The book has been widely used over the years by offshore operators as a reference and as a guide to the development of new technologies and new methods in this fascinating underwater world where man and technology was gradually pushed to the limits of what is technically and physically possible.
In my opinion it is less complicated to bring people safely back and forth to the moon than to bring hyperbaric divers safely down to and back from a water depth of 450 meters or more in the hostile environment where the ambient pressure is extremely high and offshore -conditions are unpredictable. My book will take you into this complicated and daring world.
A copy of the book is now available as a scanned pdf file to the public. There will not be given a paper copy of the book or the accompanying drawings available to the public.
Please note that additional pages, photos and comments were subsequently added to the original book by yours truly. These additions are included in the scanned pdf file.
The scanned PDF file has been split into three parts for easy download. These parts can be downloaded below.
Note that the download is free, but you can only use the document for your own personal pleasure. It is not allowed to use the downloaded document for commercial purposes without the written permission of the undersigned.
Part 1 of my book concerns "The Human Diving Problems"
Part1 - Book pages 001 through 150) Download file: http://www.genart.eu/project/part1.pdf
Dear sirs, Some people have asked me what is on the photos in Part1 book page 51-52 and pdf-file page 70. It is about the Helgoland Underwater Laboratory. Unfortunately the original glued-in paper slip in the book with my comments to these photos is lost.
However, I have re-processed the text according to my memory that you may download here: http://www.genart.eu/helgoland/helgoland.html*
Part 2 of my book concerns "The Technical Diving Solutions"
What you find in this part 2 off my book are - among other things - the top state of the art technical solutions in 1986 to the new requirements within the advanced offshore exploration for oil and gas and for submarine rescue operations:
- All about the fantastic secret new invention of the Flying Bell for divers operation down to 450 meters, made by Bruker Meerestechnik in Karlsruhe , Western Germany.
- All about the new advanced Closed Circuit Breating System for bell and diver operation down to 450 meters, made by Drägerwerk in Lübeck, Western Germany.
- All about the new Hyperbaric Life Boat from Drägerwerke supporting up till 18 divers under decompression conditions.
- All about the new Submarine Rescue Submersible "Mermaid VI SAR" capable for dives down to 600 meters, made by Bruker Meerestechnik.
- All about the new Stirling Engine for underwater vehicles.
- All about the Nato-standard small rescue transportable pressure chamber for a doctor and an injured diver, made by Drägerwerke.
- All about the new Sea Crab tank for sea floor operations down to 500 meters, developed by the military company Hägglund & Söner Vehicle Division in Örnsköldsvik in Sweden.
- All about the new Remotly Operated Vehicle for complex and heavy underwater work "The Dragonfly" capable of operations down to 2000 metres and made by Osel Offshore Systems Engineering in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, England.
Part2 - Book pages 151 through 281 - Download file: http://www.genart.eu/project/part2.pdf
Part 3 of my book concerns "The Ship Itself"
This part covers the following:
- The complete design of the ocean going vessel
- The hull definition
- The freeboard calculation
- Light Ship Weight (steel)
- Outfit Weight
- Weight of Machines
- Weight of Diving Systems
- Dead Weight
- Trimming
- Tank Capabilities
- Propulsion Power
- Propulsion Engines
- Tunnel Thrusters
- Diesel Engines
- Fuel Consumption
- Emergency Generator
- Stability Analysis
- Adjusting the Meta Center Height
- Damage Stability
- Project Administration
- List of Drawings
- List of Books
- List of Contacts
Part3 - Book pages 282 through 445 - Download file: http://www.genart.eu/project/part3.pdf
Have fun!
John Genart, M.Sc.Eng
Sub Sea Offshore Technology Specialist