DSA personnel were retained by Deep Ocean Expeditions to oversee the conversion of their newly acquired Diving Support Vessel (DSV) NADIR (recently renamed DeepOcean Quest - DOQ), which is currently under construction in Gulfport, Mississippi.
The DSV NADIR was built at the Auroux Shipyard, in France specifically as a heavy lift ship and launch/recovery platform for diving and submersible operations. DSV NADIR was owned and operated by the government owned French oceanographic research institute, IFREMER, from 1984 to June of 2004 as the principal support ship and launch/recovery platform for the NAUTILE, one of only five submersibles in the world capable of diving to 6,000 meters.
Since our client purchased DOQ in June of 2004, the vessel has undergone a complete restoration under our supervision, including all new accommodations, the installation of a helicopter deck, new bridge and bridge electronics, a multi-beam echo sounder, Schilling QUEST ROV system and the integration of the two Deep Rover manned submersibles. In addition, DOQ will be fitted with the latest in technical diving equipment, including a 52-inch twin lock deck decompression chamber and four fully equipped rigid inflatable boats.
Finally DOQ will be fitted with a modern sewage treatment plant and waste incinerator system, which enable the vessel to operate in environmentally sensitive areas of the world with minimum impact.
DSA personnel continue to provide consulting services to the owners of DOQ, which is currently scheduled for completion and sea trials in August of 2005.