Dockyard magazine picks the brains of Doni Howieson, Operations Director of Coastal Diving and Marine Services ltd – Commercial Diving specialists operating since 2008, offering a range of unique diving and marine solutions.
Q. Welcome to Dockyard Magazine, so first up please introduce yourself and the Team at Coastal Diving and Marine Services…
A. I am a qualified Mechanical Engineer and Commercial Air Diver: Diving and engineering mostly on large commercial vessels, with over 35 years of experience.
Coastal Diving and Marine Services Ltd has been established since 2008. Prior to that three of the Directors spent their time as commercial divers. Maintaining submarines and ships as well as some one-off subsea engineering tasks never before undertaken!
Q. What skills and equipment does Coastal Diving and Marine Services have?
A. We have a wide range of skills and equipment at our immediate disposal. Allowing us to tackle most projects with our full-time core team.
For Commercial Diving we are able to immediately mobilise our workboat and team of commercial divers to any site, either inshore or to offshore sites within 60 miles from safe haven. Our work boat crew are all fully qualified HSE divers, so even if diving is not initially required, we have the luxury of being able to easily add the service if later required.
Marine Engineering capabilities from project management to hands on repairs, our in house team of specialists are able to undertake all forms of engineering projects, with particular experience in large ships systems and MoD vessels.
Our vessel Carole A can operate either as a fully operational dive station or as crew transfer passenger vessel, coded up to 12 passengers.
Q. Do you offer a typical set of services or is it more bespoke solutions?
A. We specialise in all types of marine engineering, from mechanical and electrical engineering to fabrication and repairs. Where possible we aim to conduct underwater maintenance and repairs in order to help alleviate the cost of unexpected or emergency ships docking. Examples of previous work include:
• Repair and replacement of ships hull valves;
• Hydraulic pumps, ballast pumps;
• HP/LP air systems;
• Primary and secondary propulsion systems;
• Shaft seals including emergency seals;
• Hydraulic rams;
• Salvage recovery;
• Underwater inspection.
Q. What differentiates Coastal Diving and Marine Services and makes you stand out from your competition?
A. Every single member of our management team has a vast experience of marine engineering tasks, including civil, structural and mechanical engineering as well as NEBOSH Health and safety, even our chief financial officer is a qualified commercial diver!
This gives us the advantage of everybody on the team being able to assist with the planning of work, from assessing risk to technical engineering planning to cost effective realistic pricing.
Q. How is the market place currently and has the looming Brexit had an impact at all?
A. Brexit has opened as many doors that it has closed, so for Coastal Diving, it is business as usual. We always try to look for an opportunity where others see a
problem, so this attitude usually keeps us busy!
Call: 0141 6384814
E-mail: info@coastaldiving.co.uk
