Singapore-based KBA Training Centre (KBAT) reports it has completed its first Compressed Air Works (Medical Lock) course. The course is accredited by Ministry of Manpower Singapore and is mandatory seven-day training for personnel who are assigned as medical lock attendants to control the compression and decompression of workers who are required to work in a compressed air environment.

The course adheres to the Singapore Workplace Safety & Health Act and subsidiary legislation governing compressed air works. Areas covered include: roles and responsibilities; the medical condition of compressed air illnesses/decompressed illnesses; carrying out compression of personnel before entering into a compressed air environment; carrying out decompression of personnel who are leaving a compressed air environment; applying oxygen first aid; and chamber nursing.

Marine Ecological Surveys Ltd (MESL), UK, and the Wessex Archaeology (WA) Coastal and Marine team have announced the launch of their joint Ecological Diving services.

MESL, a global provider as part of the Gardline Group of companies, was established in 1975 with the aim of providing authoritative scientific advice on the impacts of major industrial and construction developments in the marine environment. WA’s Coastal and Marine team is a provider of marine archaeological services based in the UK. Both companies have a wealth of experience working with an array of marine industries including: aggregates, the heritage sector, the offshore renewables industry, the ports and harbour sector and a broad range of government departments and organisations, according to a spokesman.

“MESL and WA will provide skilfully designed and executed ecological dive surveys along with high quality analytical and reporting outputs to meet the wide range of client requirements,” the spokesman said.

He added that MESL’s wealth of knowledge in survey design and ecological divers combined with the commercial diving experience from WA’s Coastal and Marine team, which has been a registered diving contractor for 15 years, means that they are ideally positioned to deliver industry leading ecological dive surveys.

Subsea 7 has extended a charter for Norway-based Solstad Offshore’s Normand Seven construction vessel. The one-year extension will become effective starting September 2015.

The 130-metre long Normand Seven is a construction/flexlay (horizontal) vessel fitted with an advanced flexible pipelay system capable of operating in water depths of up to 2000 metres with a top tension capacity of 300 tonnes. The vessel was delivered in 2007 by Ulstein Verft in Norway.

USA-headquartered Hydroid has announced a move for its European branch office to an expanded facility designed to meet the growing demand for REMUS AUVs in the European and Middle Eastern markets, and better serve the needs of its customer base.

The new building, located in Hampshire, England, is more than 8000 square feet (743 square metres), four times the size of Hydroid Europe’s original headquarters, and houses the company’s sales office, administration, training facility and workshop.

“We are thrilled with the strong growth Hydroid Europe has experienced over the past eight years, and excited to start a new chapter in a new, larger dedicated facility,” said Graham Lester, Hydroid’s vice president of sales and marketing.

“As a result of this move, we look forward to providing increased local support capability for our customers,” said Richard ‘Bungy’ Williams, regional manager of Hydroid Europe.