Evident Ultrasonic Inspection Equipment
SFF and Texo Announce Strategic Joint Venture for Maritime Drone Inspection
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SFF Services Limited (SFFSL), commercial division of the Scottish Fishermen’s Federation (SFF), has today announced a strategic joint venture with Texo DSI (UKCS), the dedicated offshore division of Texo Drone Survey and Inspection Limited, the owner operators of the world’s most advanced fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for industrial survey and inspection.

This unique joint venture will see Texo DSI (UKCS) incorporate specific and innovative UAV inspection applications into SFFSL’s portfolio of vessel services to offshore industries.

Since its inception, Texo DSI (UKCS) has developed a sector-leading suite of UAV deployed survey and inspection services; bringing to market a number of world-first technologies including:

Survey-Grade LiDAR (for precise Asset Information Modelling)
UT Thickness Testing
Optical Gas Imaging
Hyperspectral (for identification of hazardous materials)
Remote/Supply Drop
These have been deployed in tandem with the company’s other service lines including Close Visual Inspection, Thermographic and Internal UAV inspection.

As a solution to cost effective deployment offshore SFFSL provides the platform for fishing vessels to be used by the offshore Oil and Gas, Decommissioning, Renewables and Subsea Cable sectors. For over 30 years SFFSL guard vessels have been protecting vulnerable subsea infrastructure such as pipelines under construction, wellheads awaiting full protection, and power, renewable energy, telecommunication and umbilical cables. With this versatile resource SFFSL can help reduce costs during routine operations by offering an alternative to larger vessel charters. Fishing vessels carry out a wide range of work including:

Guard Vessel duties
Debris Clearance
Post-Decommissioning Trawl Sweeps (as per Oil and Gas UK recommendations)
Overtrawlability Verification Work
UAV, AUV and ROV Deployment
Survey Work including Inshore and Seismic Support
Environmental and Wildlife Monitoring
Drone deployment is a dynamic new addition to the SFFSL service offering.

Ronnie Genther, Principal Contracts Manager, Texo DSI (UKCS) said: "This is an exciting opportunity for both organisations. We have worked extremely hard to develop and bring to market what is the world’s most advanced fleet of UAV’s with integrated payload applications. A strategic partnership with an organisation of SFF’s stature further vindicates our position as the premier UAV provider for the offshore sector."

Steven Alexander, Managing Director, SFF Services Limited said: "We have always been very much unique with regard to vessel provision, and early collaboration with the Oil and Gas sector now extends to the Decommissioning, Renewables and Subsea Cables sectors. As offshore industries evolve more and more towards digital data and automation we’re stepping into an exciting new arena. Fishing vessels and drones may not be the most obvious partnership, but together our companies offer a resourceful approach to improving safety, cost and overall efficiency to operators adopting Texo DSI’s cutting-edge survey and inspection solutions."

Texo DSI is currently developing novel UAV integrated solutions for a number of additional world firsts, including: Microwave sensor and ACFM & Phased Array (for weld fatigue). Further details of these will be announced later in the year.

SFFSL and Texo DSI looks forward to developing this exciting offering in the coming months.
Mistras Group