Marine Technology Reporter, June 2006

<BODY> <div> 18 MTR June 2006 Birns 1720 Fiske Place, Oxnard, CA 93033 Tel: 805-487-5393; Fax: 805-487-0427 E-mail: service@birns.com Internet: www.birns.com CEO: Eric Brins Founded in 1954, Birns, Inc. is a manufacturer of high-performance lighting and connector systems for deep-ocean and nuclear use. In addi- tion to the Snooper, Kelvin, Corona and Blackbirn, BIRNS manufactures more than 40 other types of lighting products, and six different connector ranges. Connectors include Aquamate wet-mateables and Millennium high-density deep-sub- mergence styles. Technology Profile Birns Marine Lighting Products operate within marine and aquatic environments, especially deep under- water, e.g. on submarines, remotely operated vehicles, and by commercial divers. BIRNS Flood Lights are gen- eral-purpose luminaires to illuminate large underwater areas, e.g. around piers and docks, or underwater inside marine or aquatic parks. Examples are: Model 5441 BIRNS Snooperwide; Model 4010 BIRNS Sirius; Model 4015 BIRNS Sirius (Metal-Halide) BIRNS ROV/SUB Lights are used on Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROVs) or manned submarines and submersibles, and provide both gen- eral and task illumination. Various voltage inputs, power outputs, and beam angles are available. Depth capabilities to 6km. Examples are: Model 5101 BIRNS SOR-I; Model 5120 BIRNS SOR-I, Deep- Submergence; Model 5131 BIRNS SOR-II; Model 5134 BIRNS SOR- II, Deep-Submergence; Model 5651 BIRNS XT120; Model 5657 BIRNS Varilite; Model 5659 BIRNS Varilite, Deep-Submergence; Model 5660 BIRNS Snooperette. BIRNS Connector Products trans- mit electric power and data underwa- ter. They are: - Millennium (miniature, coaxial, fiber-optic) - Metal Shell (very heavy duty appli- cations) - Rubber (basic, low cost) - Aquamate (wet/underwater mat- ing) Seaeye Marine Ltd Lower Quay Rd, Fareham, Hampshire, United Kingdom PO16 0RQ Tel: +44 1329 289000; Fax:+44 1329 289001 E-mail:rovs@seaeye.com CEO: Chris Tarmey • Managing Director: Matt Bates Engineering Director: Jon Robertson Sales Director: Dave Eggers Number of Employees: 55 Annual Sales (US$): $12 million Seaeye has, since the late 1980's, been a supplier of electric powered ROVs to the offshore oil and gas industry with more than 250 systems operating worldwide in this sector conducting everything from diver support, pipeline survey, and drill support to IRM and light construction tasks. In 2002 Seaeye introduced its first ROV built to off- shore standards but aimed at the requirements of coastal and inshore opera- tors. This Falcon ROV has since become a leading product in its class with sales of around 75 systems achieved by mid 2006. Sales and market- ing activities for Falcon and the new deeper rated Falcon DR has introduced Seaeye to a much wider audience beyond oil and gas resulting in sales of Lynx, Tigers, and Panther Plus to vari- ous navies, research organizations and environmental groups including the Russian Navy who use their Panther Plus for sub- marine rescue opera- tions and the French Navy who use theirs for torpedo recovery. Technology Profile SeaeyepPioneered the use of brushless DC motors for reliable use in ROV thrusters and were the first to use modern plastics and composite materi- als in the construction of ROV frames and electronics pods. Seaeye's Falcon is the first vehicle in its class to make use of modern distributed intelligence in the control system that improves reliability and ease of use but also adds to the inbuilt diagnostics capability of the system and reduces the weight of the vehicle by eliminating a heavy electronics pod. The company is currently working on new deeper rated and more powerful systems to further extend the product range. This includes not only further thruster develop- ments but also new control technology, station keeping and power distribution techniques. Russian Navy Panther Plus+TMS. Chris Tarmey, CEO MTR#5 (17-35)2.qxd 6/16/2006 11:13 AM Page 18 </div> <span id="lblContents"></span> <br /> <br /> <a href="http://www.digitalwavepublishing.com/" title="Digital Magazine">Digital Wave Publishing</a> </BODY>