Scottish Sea Farms has trialed a new “smart” alert system on two of its feed barges, demonstrating its potential to prevent sinkings during bad weather by sending real-time text notifications when bilge pumps are activated.
The feed barges are already equipped with automatic bilge pumps to handle rare instances of water ingress. The new system enhances safety by notifying designated personnel via text message, enabling faster responses.
Craig Cameron, Engineering Manager at Scottish Sea Farms, explained: “We have taken the existing alarm mechanism and installed a notification element. If I get an alarm, within an hour or so I’ll be able to mobilize a support vessel, even in the case of a false alarm. For an investment of about £1,000 per system, it could be a game changer.”
The innovation, devised by Project and Fabrication Engineer Gary Campbell, was developed in-house by the IT team. IT Operations and Infrastructure Leader Colin Kupris noted the system’s broader value: “The farm staff will be able to see on a dashboard the state of the battery back-up system and the bilge alarm, and they can remotely confirm if everything is functioning as it should be.”
Continuous power is required for the system to send SMS alerts, with all barges equipped with battery back-up systems that can operate IT equipment continuously.
The initial trials were conducted on concrete barges at Shuna and Dunstaffnage earlier this year. Following the successful pilot, Scottish Sea Farms plans to extend the technology to additional barges and vessels across its fleet, enhancing operational safety and reducing risks during adverse weather conditions.
For organisations seeking similar solutions, Bristol-based company Hello Sailor offers an off-the-shelf alert system, which is currently utilised at SalmonBusiness HQ.
