Offshore platforms are essential for a variety of services which are carried out at sea. From existing Oil and Gas infrastructure to the growing markets of offshore renewable energy, be that through wave power, tidal, or offshore wind power. Across all industries there is a drive towards automation in order to lower ongoing costs and as a consequence, many offshore platforms are unmanned. Such unmanned platforms require on demand inspection, maintenance and repair work to be carried out along with scheduled works. In order to carry out such works, it is necessary for human engineers to be transferred to the platform in question. Such transfers are currently carried out through a variety of methods: helicopter transfer, transfer gangways, stepping over the bow, or even through swing ropes. All of which carry with them a significant degree of risk and expense, both financially and environmentally. There are 2.1 fatalities per billion passenger kilometres for helicopter travel in comparison to 0.004 for commercial aviation (UKDfT). Also, as a result of this inherent risk, there are a limited range of seascapes in which such transfers can take place. Submarine Technology Limited is coming to the end (September 2013) of a TSB funded proof of concept project which will lead into the development project proposed here. Upon successful completion, Neptune: a ½ scale, DNV certified and sea tested transfer system will have been successfully developed which when commercialised will allow for the ultra-safe transfer of 4 workers from a Multi-Role support vessel to an offshore platform in increased sea states. This will be achieved through the integration of patent protected motion sensing technology and engineering which will compensate for roll, pitch, yaw, heave, surge and sway in order to render the transfer capsule stationary relative to the platform being accessed. The project will be successfully completed and ready for commercialisation in 18 months.

The Neptune space-stabilised access system transfers people or equipment from a ship onto a fixed offshore structure that does not move such as a wind turbine or oil/gas production unit. It does this innovatively by sensing ship motion and moving parts of the system to keep the payload (or personnel carrier) motionless. The payload moves from its initial position on the ship to a laydown area on the structure with no relative movement between the two when it arrives, permitting a safe and efficient transfer. It consists of an articulated arm on a gimballed base (Appendix A) mounted on an offshore support vessel. Parts of the structure are moved under computer control so that vessel movements (heave, surge, sway, roll, pitch and yaw) are compensated. The full-scale unit carries four people (or three with a stretcher evacuation) and reaches a height 28 metres above sea level with a vessel stand-off distance of 15 metres. Work started in 2009 in four stages: 1.Design and build a vessel motion simulator (Completed) 2.Design and build a reduced-scale test unit (Underway) 3.Prove the concept by developing a satisfactory control system and show that a full-scale prototype can be built (This application) 4.Design, build and test a full-scale prototype offshore (Future) A large potential market exists in the offshore oil/gas production and offshore wind-energy industries. Access now is based respectively on helicopters and small crew transfer boats. The first is expensive and the second is limited to inshore or good weather conditions. The Neptune approach enables safe year-round transfers far offshore in difficult weather all around the UK. To date the work has been self-financed at a total cost of £342k. Stage 3 costing £317,763k starts in November 2011 in the company’s R&D facility at Cowes. TSB funding of £100k is sought, STL will contribute £217,763. Resubmission