The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has released new information about the ways ROVs were utilized during 2014, revealing both the number of ROV operators working at specific points last year and the different kinds of ROVs that were used.
Between February of 2013 and 2014, the amount of ROV operators actually declined by several hundred, from 3,663 to 3,369 people. The number of personnel in 2014 grew six months later in August, when it reached 3,617, but that is still far lower than the August 2013 figure of 3,962.
On the other hand, the number of ROVs in use increased in the following year. While August 2013 saw only 636 units, by February 2014 there were 677 deployed, and that number increased again by nearly 50 that August. The information from the two years is not completely equivalent, as fewer member companies reported last year than had the year before.
The IMCA maintains an important industry guidance document for ROV use, "The Code of Practice for The Safe & Efficient Operation of Remotely Operated Vehicles." It covers important areas like the tasks that ROVs can perform, such as surveying, construction and inspection.
This document also classifies ROVs based on the different tasks they perform. The largest single class of ROVs seen in use last year were Class III, also known as Work Class Vehicles that can operate sensors and tools away from a direct connection.
In a press release accompanying the data, IMCA Technical Director and Acting Chief Executive Jane Bugler explained some of the external factors that may have affected the survey results.
"From 2014 the figures were required for all personnel working on ROV operations both offshore and onshore and also for total numbers of ROVs in fleets," she said." Some respondents did not fully understand this revised data collection requirement and therefore the figures for 2014 may not entirely reflect the status of the ROV industry exactly as intended."
Enacting ROV insurance may make operators more prepared for extensive underwater work, as long as they choose the right policy for the equipment and staff they use.