The new Baby Moduline Aquadrive, which marks the continuing alliance between GKN Group and Halyard, is lighter, shorter and costs around 15% less than the existing Aquadrive system. Its reduced length is crucial for many installations where there is limited space available for fitment, while the weight saving will also be welcomed by many operators.

Aquadrive couplings feature on 16 new MoD landing craft being built by FBM Babcock Marine, for which Halyard has also designed special exhaust systems using a high grade alloy.

Inconel is a specialist material used to cope with extremely high temperatures arising from the engines being run dry before the vessels are launched from davits into the water. The 15.7m long vessels are manufactured from aluminium and are designed to be carried on davits on the superstructure of Royal Navy ships. Inconel has the additional advantage of not corroding in water, a useful characteristic for use on landing craft expected to have a service life of 20 years.

MJ Information No: 18135