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ARRC-08 David


ARRC-08 David

ARRC-08 Autonomous Rescue and Recovery Craft(ARCC) David seen here outbound from the River Tyne on 30th January 2007.
Photographed from North Shields.

Built by Tyne Slipway and Engineering Group on the Wear. Eight of these sophisticated 19-metre rigid inflatable craft – the largest of their type in the world – were ordered from Delta by British Petroleum (BP) for service in its North Sea oil fields. Due to pressure on timescale of delivery, however, work on the last four vessels was transferred from Wales to the Wearside yard.
Their introduction comes as part of a radical new concept – codenamed "Jigsaw" – for search, rescue and recovery in BP's North Sea operations.
They will be stationed in pairs on board four Regional Support Vessels (RSVs), Caledonian Vanguard, Caledonian Vision, Caledonian Victory and Caledonian Vigilance, which have been constructed by the Yantai Raffles shipyard in China.



    They all went to Silvers yard at gareloch later that year for big modifications, the lifting gear on the arrcs was somewhat feeble. Was a fine cruise from Port Edgar thru the caledonian and crinan canals to silvers.