Divex delivers critical safety capability to Russian Navy

The Kursk tragedy of 2000, in which 118 sailors and officers perished when their nuclear-powered cruise missile submarine sank in the Barents Sea, clearly identified a need for a Russian submarine rescue ship – Divex is now providing the saturation diving capability for the new Igor Belousov rescue vessel.

Due to be commissioned later in 2014, the Igor Belousov will support a variety of rescue missions including the search, rescue and salvage of submarines in distress. As Divex was in a position to win this high profile and prestigious contract to equip the new vessel was a significant achievement against strong international competition, as project manager Fred Pope explains:

“Divex won this contract simply due to an ability to produce, in the time required, at the standard required, the type of system that fits the needs of the Russian Admiralty.”

With over 25 years’ service, Fred is one of Divex’s longest serving and most experienced team members. As such, he was involved in the negotiation of the contract from the very start, following through to the design and production of the system. Most recently he has been overseeing manufacturing at Divex’s various global locations.

"It’s exciting to be working on such a rewarding project, working to improve safety during critical rescue missions," continues Fred. "From a personal point of view it’s the challenge of getting everything delivered in a timely manner that I most enjoy. I look forward to seeing this project to its conclusion and feel confident we can assist the Russian Admiralty in the most effective way possible through to completion.”

Divex designed and is manufacturing and supplying the 450-metre rated deep saturation diving system for Divex Russian partners Tetis Pro; and ultimately for the Russian Admiralty. The system is unique in accommodating 12 divers in saturation to enable them to gain access to a stricken submarine. Divex has an extremely strong and longstanding reputation in this area, having built 100 major saturation diving systems since 1974. The Igor Belousov system decompression chambers, diving bell and control system were built at Divex’s facilities in Perth, Western Australia while the bell deployment, life support and gas management systems were manufactured and supplied from Divex headquarters in Aberdeen, Scotland. All environmental control system equipment was manufactured by Divex’s facility in Cape Town, South Africa, making the system a truly international project.

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