Subsea technology and services company SMD has completed Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) on the first of its pioneering electric subsea remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), the SMD Quantum EV, marking a milestone as
Subsea technology and services company SMD has completed Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) on the first of its pioneering electric subsea remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), the SMD Quantum EV, marking a milestone as the system moves toward offshore deployment. The SAT operations were carried out at DEEP Campus near Bristol.
The first Quantum EV, purchased by Luxembourg-based marine contractor Jan De Nul, is expected to be integrated into Jan De Nul’s Fleeming Jenkin cable-laying vessel (CLV) ahead of commercial deployment in 2026, linking the arrival of a new electric work-class ROV platform with a new-generation CLV designed for large-scale offshore renewables work.
SMD Quantum EV: Electric ROV Design and Performance
EV forms part of SMD’s modular electric vehicle (EV) range, designed to support work-class subsea intervention while reducing the inefficiencies associated with conventional hydraulic ROV systems. According to SMD’s product documentation, electric propulsion allows a higher proportion of input power to be converted into usable thrust reaching 63%, compared with hydraulic systems capable of 34% conversion, while also reducing topside power and equipment requirements.
The EV platform is designed to operate in multiple configurations, including umbilical-powered, battery-powered roadmap, or hybrid modes combining both. SMD also highlights the possibility of deploying the vehicle
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