Seatools Completes Successful Factory Tests for DEME’s Innovative Fall Pipe ROV

Seatools, a leading company in industrial-quality subsea equipment, is pleased to announce the successful completion of Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) for a highly innovative Fall Pipe ROV developed for DEME.




This state-of-the-art ROV will be deployed on DEME’s upcoming subsea rock installation vessel Yellowstone, scheduled to join the fleet in the first half of 2024.

With a proven track record of delivering over ten Fall Pipe ROVs, Seatools stands as a respected industry leader in subsea rock installation equipment. The company is renowned for its industrial-quality subsea equipment featuring unprecedented reliability levels, and a notable feature of Seatools’ Fall Pipe ROVs is the advanced Dynamic Positioning (DP) system. This system empowers contractors to perform precision rock installation operations, regardless of water depth or operational conditions.

The newly developed Fall Pipe ROV introduces several unique features, setting it apart in the industry. One notable innovation is the integrated rotator, allowing for the offsetting of the ROV’s heading relative to the vessel heading. This innovation ensures an optimal vessel heading, enhancing the workability level of rock installation operations while saving significant power compared to conventional Fall Pipe ROVs.

Another eminent feature of the ROV lies in its remarkably expansive on-board survey equipment suite, employed for precise ROV positioning, monitoring operations and the environment, as well as conducting comprehensive pre- and post-surveys. To handle the vast amounts of data and complex control algorithms related to dynamic positioning, the ROV is equipped with Seatools’ in-house developed multicore processing technology. The Yellowstone ROV PLC, featuring a quad-core processor, efficiently distributes tasks among individual cores, resulting in improved control task execution, particularly beneficial in complex control loops like electro-hydraulically driven dynamic positioning (DP) systems.

“The successful completion of the Factory Acceptance Tests for this highly innovative Fall Pipe ROV marks a significant milestone for Seatools and underscores our commitment to delivering state-of-the-art subsea solutions,” said Jan Frumau, Managing director at Seatools. “We are confident that the unique features of this ROV will contribute to the success of DEME’s rock installation operations, providing unmatched precision and efficiency.”

Location: The Netherlands