Zelim Launches ‘World’s First’ Unmanned Overboard Rescue Vessel

Zelim, an Edinburgh based sea survival innovator, has unveiled the world's first unmanned/manned remotely controlled person-in-water rescue vessel.

The vessel, dubbed GUARDIAN, is 8.4 meters long, 2.5 meters wide aluminium hulled Next Generation Fast Rescue Craft (FRC), presented to the international maritime industry for the first time at the SMM Trade Fair, which is taking place in Hamburg, Germany.

Specifically designed for rapid deployment from a ship to recover both conscious and unconscious man-overboard casualties, the GUARDIAN FRC can operate in maritime conditions that conventional manned recovery solutions would find challenging or too dangerous to deploy.

Taking four years’ research and development, with input from the UK’s Maritime & Coastguard Agency and the US Coastguard GUARDIAN incorporates Zelim’s type approved SWIFT rapid rescue conveyor and ZOE, Zelim’s intelligent detection software for optimizing search.

During a man-overboard (MOB) event, GUARDIAN is instantaneously lowered into the water by way of a ship’s existing LARS davit installed at deck level.  Once in the water, an Alamarin AJ285 waterjet powered by a single Bukh VGT 400HP motor speeds the rescue vessel along at a rate of 30-plus knots towards the casualty. GUARDIAN’S range is 15nmiles with a six-hour endurance.

As it nears the person(s) in the water, the FRC lowers the integrated SWIFT and slowly heads towards the casualty who is then recovered from the water by the rescue conveyor, which is specifically designed to grip and recover immersed casualties, whilst minimizing the risk to casualties from the loss of hydrostatic pressure. SWIFT can pull two survivors to safety simultaneously, minimizing the risk for rescuers.

Given that about 40% of all man-overboard incidents results in fatality, with more than 1000 people falling overboard annually, the efficiency and simplicity of Zelim’s GUARDIAN in rescue missions cannot be understated.

With capacity for 11 survivors (nine if GUARDIAN deployed with a two-person crew), the lightweight FRC also benefits from AI-based person-in-water detection and alerting system.

“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.

“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,” said Sam Mayall, Zelim founder and innovator.

The FRC can operate with or without a crew, remotely, and has enhanced rescue situational awareness capability. It has the same footprint as conventional craft, and can be easily stowed and deployed using existing davits.

In addition to MOB missions, GUARDIAN can perform a variety unmanned maritime safety and security roles, including search and rescue, security patrols, standby and recovery.