World-first unmanned MOB rescue vessel unveiled

It is the world’s first unmanned MOB vessel, the company says, and can recover conscious and unconscious casualties from a ship using remote control.

Guardian, a Fast Rescue Craft (FRC) combining Zelim’s ‘Swift’ conveyor system and detection software ‘Zoe’, is lowered into the water with the vessel’s launch and recovery system (LARS) davit installed at deck level. 

When Guardian, which can take 11 persons including crew if needed, hits the water, it is powered by an Alamarin waterjet and Bukh VGT 400HP motor to head for the casualty at more than 30 knots – with a range of 15 nautical miles and six hours’ endurance.

As it approaches the victim, ’Swift’ is lowered and moved towards them so it can recover them from the water using the conveyor – which has been developed to grip and recover immersed casualties who might be unconscious. It can pull out two survivors at a time.

“Given that about 40% of all man-overboard incidents results in fatality, with more than 1,000 people falling overboard annually, the efficiency and simplicity of Zelim’s Guardian in rescue missions cannot be understated,” says the company, which is based in Edinburgh.

“Sea survival is hugely dependent on the time it takes to retrieve individuals from the water, but inclement weather can prohibit the launch of manned rescue craft and lives are needlessly lost,” said Zelim founder and innovator Sam Mayall.

“Ship crews have little time to carry out an effective rescue before maritime conditions prevent the casualty from assisting in their own rescue. When rescue vessels approach, many survivors simply don’t have the strength to pull themselves to safety. This is even more difficult when they are unconscious or unresponsive. Guardian has been designed to ensure more people can be rescued in the harshest of weather conditions.”

Zelim’s ‘Zoe’ search and detection technology is key to the system as it is capable of instant detection and raising alerts if it comes across persons or objects in its field of vision. It can also differentiate between human beings and other objects, such as buoys or flotsam.

As well as man overboard situations, Guardian can assist in security patrols, standby and recovery.