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