MARUM-Squid - a powerful, yet compact 2000 m ROV system designed for marine research operations from smaller vessels

In June 2015, the MARUM - Center of Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen, has put a new 2000 m ROV system into service - the MARUM-Squid. MARUM-Squid, manufactured by SAAB Seaeye (UK), is a “Leopard” type light, electrical workclass ROV. The system was designed as powerful, yet compact ROV system for deployments from small vessels. The complete system can be shipped inside a single 20" ISO container. The adaption of this new generation of vehicle class for marine research offers exciting new possibilities for scientists. Capabilities that have previously been reserved to larger Work Class ROVs are now available on a significantly smaller footprint both on the vehicle itself as well as on the vessel deck. This new concept overcomes current limitations in terms of operational depth, proportional manipulation, complex scientific payload integration, dynamic navigation or bulk thruster power against currents, to name but a few. For marine science, this means a clear enhancement of research tool efficiency by simultaneous installation of state-of-the art research equipment especially aboard smaller vessels, including a very capable ROV. In January 2016, the ROV was successfully deployed for the first time during a research expedition with RV Meteor in high current areas along the SW-African coast. In addition, the mobilization concept of MARUM-Squid was validated during its second cruise with the much smaller RV Poseidon in April 2016, where the ROV as well as a set of heavy geological sampling tools could be installed and deployed from the vessel. During both expeditions, operations could be carried out previously only possible by using larger ROV systems such as the full workclass MARUM-QUEST. The tasks included precise navigation for geological and biological sampling under extreme current conditions up to 2 knots, HDTV documentation, and heavy equipment recovery operations from 1800 m water depth. The paper describes the exciting new potential of the MARUM SQUID and the implications for this new class of commercially available platforms for the future of marine research.