LEE068C - This tender is for the acquisition of marine ROV systems by the University of Limerick suitable for inspection and intervention on Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) infrastructure.
()Background
The Mobile & Marine Robotics Research Centre at the University of Limerick ( (http://www.mmrrc.ul.ie/)) is focused on the application and development of practical and industrial relevant marine technologies including vehicle control systems and sensor development for remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and unmanned aerial systems (UAS) operation in challenging marine environments. The centre is actively involved in a range of nationally funded, European funded and industry collaborative projects. MMRRC at UL is a collaborating lab within MaREI, Marine & Renewable Energy Ireland ( (http://www.marei.ie/)) a Science Foundation Ireland ( (http://www.sfi.ie/) ) supported marine and energy-based research, development and innovation hub that combines the expertise of a wide range of research groups and industry partners, with the shared mission of solving the main scientific, technical and socio-economic challenges across the marine renewable energy space. The MMRRC focus within MaREI is RnD in the area of operations support engineering for MRE including ROV operations for inspection and intervention on MRE infrastructure, dealing with the prevailing sea conditions and extending the conditions (sea state, current, etc.) in which operations can proceed. SFI have awarded support for the infrastructure of this ITT.
The MRE ROV system will be housed at Limerick Docks where ROV systems experimentation, testing and demonstration will be carried out. For off-shore operations with the MRE ROV, the system will be mobilised from Limerick port or alternatively can be transported to other ports (Foynes, Galway, Cork, Dublin, etc) by truck for mobilising aboard ship.
This tender is for the acquisition of marine ROV systems by the University of Limerick suitable for inspection and intervention on Marine Renewable Energy (MRE) infrastructure, which are by design located in areas with high energy waves, currents and strong winds above the sea surface. The acquired ROV should be a vehicle with good thrust to drag ratio developed for sub-sea applications in off shore wind or similar. The system is required to have: high precision positioning and navigation systems; camera and lighting systems, sonar (including accommodation of sonar systems already in the possession of the University of Limerick) and other sensors; robot manipulator systems for intervention tasks on energy converter devices, cables, moorings, risers, anchorage, etc.
The tender is broken into three related Lots. Lot 1 is the primary lot and represents the MRE ROV vehicle. Lot 2 is of equally of primary importance. Navigation systems used on ROVs are often manufactured by specialist companies so this lot may be quoted for by the same companies as lot 1 and include navigation systems to be integrated with the MRE ROV by the ROV manufacturer / supplier or may be tendered for by specialist navigation equipment companies / manufacturers. Lot 3 is for Launch And Recovery System (LARS) and Tether Management Systems (TMS) for the ROV of Lot 1. Tenders may be submitted for all three lots or for individual lots.