Fassmer of Germany has placed a major order for eight of the new Henriksen Slipway Systems (HSS) for the automatic launch and recovery of small boats and unmanned surface drones from larger vessels. 

The eight systems will be installed aboard four vessels being built by Fassmer for an undisclosed customer. The new system can benefit any organisation that operates drones (USVs) or fast intervention craft from larger vessels. Besides naval forces, these might include coast guard, police, customs or fire and rescue. 

The new Henriksen Slipway System enables the safe, efficient and automated launch and recovery of craft from the stern ramp of a mother vessel. The system now makes it possible for a police or military crew to board a RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat) and be under way on the water in less than a minute. A rapid response time can be invaluable for customs and police interception tasks while the new HSS can also quickly deploy unmanned surface vessels, or drones, for mine clearance operations.  

SYNCHRONIZED WINCH OPERATIONS
Controlled launching is achieved by a centre winch that enables a safe descent down the stern ramp. Even in rough sea conditions, the boat or USV can be automatically recovered on completion of its mission and taken on board the mother vessel without any crew involvement. During retrieval, the small craft is guided into position where it connects with a pretensioned capture line via an onboard Henriksen HPHA7 Capture Claw. The system then pulls the boat into the slipway using synchronized winch operations. Twin dampening winches on either side of the slipway are used to absorb kinetic energy and prevent harsh impacts to create a smooth docking experience.

The new system employs Henriksen’s expertise in the design of boat lifting and capture claw hooks. Years of development have enabled Henriksen to overcome the snags and challenges that ships’ crews can encounter during the launch and recovery of different types of boats in difficult sea and weather conditions. The new Henriksen Slipway System (HSS) now offers a much lighter weight solution to comparable systems and the ramp-style concept is generally acknowledged as a very reliable way of launching and recovering smaller boats, especially in rough seas and poor weather. 

The Henriksen HSS is being manufactured at the company’s new factory in Tønsberg beside the Oslo fjord in Norway where there is a tradition of high-quality engineering for the maritime industry.