UK Port Puts Zelim’s SWIFT Man Overboard Recovery System to Trials

The UK’s Milford Haven Port Authority (MHPA) has retrofitted Zelim’s SWIFT man-overboard recovery conveyor to a 19-meter pilot vessel as part of a three-month trial to assess the system’s capability in high sea states.

The Port of Milford Haven, located in Pembrokeshire in Wales, frequently endures high sea states due to its geographical location and exposure to Atlantic swells.

Installation of SWiFT to the 2009-built Picton follows a technology demonstration carried out last year on the River Forth, Scotland, in which multiple in-water ‘casualties’ were recovered in under one minute from falling overboard.

SWIFT, which received Lloyd’s Register Type Approval in June 2024, is a treadmill-like conveyor belt system hinged to a rescue crafts’ stern or side.

Once the rescue vessel nears the casualty, the conveyor is lowered into the water. Casualties are simply and quickly pulled free of the water upon traction with the conveyor belt system.

“Demonstrations last year were a huge success, but the MHPA wanted to retrofit SWIFT to an operational vessel to validate its capability in heavy weather before making any procurement decisions.

“Performance is so far as expected. Picton has already trialled SWIFT in 2.5 m swells, which is the most challenging sea condition we have encountered to date. It's taken SWIFT to a new level, but it still performed very, very well, as we knew it would,” said Andy Tipping, Zelim’s Business Development Director.

“With the building of new heavy weather pilot boats underway, we were keen to trial SWIFT aboard an operational pilot boat. These trials allow us to better understand how the technology can improve operational safety for our crews and pilots, but it also supports the rapid recovery of any person in the water, especially given the challenging maritime conditions our crews and customers’ crews face,” added John Warneford, MHPA’s Assistant Harbourmaster.

If the trials are a success, SWIFT could be integrated into a series of 22-meter pilot boats newbuilds under construction, the first of which Netherlands-based Next Generation Shipyards is set to deliver to MHPA in 2025.