Norwegian research organisation SINTEF and its partners have developed a lightweight emergency towing system designed to make towing disabled vessels faster and safer, particularly in severe weather conditions. The new system has been developed ahead of stricter emergency towing regulations that will come into force in 2028 for ships of more than 20,000 GT.
Every year, 140 to 170 ships drift in Norwegian waters while waiting to be rescued. The most serious incidents are when ships drift uncontrollably towards land and run aground. To prevent this from happening, a new project was started to develop new towing equipment.
Unlike conventional emergency towing equipment, which can weigh up to one tonne and must be carried beneath a helicopter, the new system weighs just 75 kg. This allows it to be transported inside a rescue helicopter, extending operational range and enabling deployment in more challenging weather.
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Lightweight, high-strength modular towline
The system consists of a lightweight, high-strength modular towline made from advanced fibres and a specially designed “helibag” that enables the equipment to be easily carried through a vessel and quickly deployed. Once on board, the towline can be connected in around ten minutes, according to SINTEF. It can then either be fired across to a towing vessel using an air cannon or delivered with the aid of a surface drone.
The emergency tow must be able to withstand strong forces from ships and the ocean when it has to tow or stabilize a vessel in rough seas weighing many thousands of tonnes. The rope of the towline to handle this heavy load was developed by Norwegian company Offshore & Trawl Supply (OTS). Although the individual components are based on existing technology, they have been combined into a new solution that is easier to transport, faster to deploy and capable of withstanding the high loads encountered when stabilising or towing large vessels in rough seas.
Full-scale rescue exercise
The system was recently tested during a full-scale rescue exercise off the Lofoten Islands involving the Norwegian Coastal Administration, Coast Guard, rescue helicopter services and other emergency response organisations. According to the Norwegian Coastal Administration, the equipment will support a new national capability in which specially trained teams can be airlifted onto abandoned vessels to connect emergency towlines.
Also read: Dutch Coast Guard comes to rescue of adrift tanker
