For the first time in the history of OCTOMAR, the company has embraced a new challenge leading to its first international intervention in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

This project, comprised of the provision of surface air diving services to assist with the FPSO mooring lines, flexibles and umbilical’s hook up operations during the installation of the FPSO Firenze on Baleine Oil field offshore Abidjan, which occurred from June to September 2023.

Prior to departure of the FPSO from Dubai to Abidjan, OCTOMAR was contracted to act as a third-party quality assurance of the diving activities of a diving contractor that executed the installatio. OCTOMAR provided for the FPSO hook up assistance, a 24-hour diving team comprising of 27 diving personnel on board the DP2 dive support vessel (DSV), MV Topaz Resolve, under charter to OCTOMAR and its own IMCA Air dive system.

The dive equipment, its installation and commissioning on board the dive support vessel were audited to IMCA standards by KB Associates from the United Kingdom, prior to the start of diving operations.

Like any project, there are strengths and weaknesses, so we have listed 2 x strengths and 2 x weaknesses of the job:

✓ Job was done safely and with no Lost time incidents.

✓ Job was done as per timeline and with no delays from OCTOMAR.

On the other hand:

✓ There were many stoppages to the diving operation due to the adverse weather conditions.

✓ The winter season in West Africa between June and September not ideal for surface air diving operations.

Despite the weather adverse challenges, there were no incidents, and OCTOMAR executed the project to Client's requirements.

So, we can say, with assurance, that the project was a success, and such success was due to thorough risk assessment, proper planning and respective execution, guaranteeing the work being done to the highest levels of safety and quality established standards.