News this week

EMEC has been developing a marine safety course with the Maritime Department at Orkney College and we successfully undertook the first trial run this week. John Lawrence and Roy Temple attended the course from EMEC and it is hoped that it will be available from early summer this year. The course involves ADCP deployment (see picture). Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs) are used to acquire water level, current and wave data by measuring the velocity and direction of current – important data for the marine energy industry.

EMEC staff also visited the Stromness Hyperbaric Chamber this week, accompanied by Dr Andrew Trevett from the Stromness Surgery. The chamber is currently run as a charity by the Orkney Hyperbaric Trust, but is responsible for all diving incidents in Orkney. Dr Trevett explained the importance of having notification of diver activities, so they can be aware when the chamber is in use. With a new chamber on its way this year, and an increase in marine activities expected around Orkney, EMEC intends to continue working closely with the Trust to support this crucial local service.