ROV
Services
Worldwide
Silvercrest Submarines has operated, deployed, and maintained remotely operated vehicles across some of the world's most demanding subsea environments for over three decades. That operational heritage sets us apart from equipment-only suppliers: every ROV system we recommend, sell, or charter is informed by direct experience of how these vehicles perform under real working conditions — in the North Sea, the Mediterranean, the Pacific, and beyond.
Our ROV portfolio spans the full capability spectrum, from compact micro-class eyeball systems for rapid harbour surveys through to deep-rated work-class vehicles equipped for offshore construction, pipeline intervention, and drill support at depths exceeding 3,000 metres. Alongside our ROV inventory, Silvercrest Submarines operates specialist subsea motor engineering facilities in Australia, manufacturing electric motors rated from 24V to 6,600V and from the surface to 4,000 metres depth - a capability unique among ROV and submersible operators of our scale.
Whether you are seeking a complete ROV system for purchase, a charter package with experienced pilots included, or bespoke subsea motor engineering support, Silvercrest Submarines delivers the technical expertise and equipment inventory to meet your project requirements. We are experienced subsea contractors — not simply a catalogue business — and that distinction defines the quality of advice and support our clients receive.
ROV Category Overview
Work Class ROVs
Work-class ROVs are the heavy-lifting platforms of the subsea industry. These vehicles carry substantial hydraulic power - typically 100HP to 200HP and above - to drive manipulator systems, torque tools, and intervention tooling for demanding subsea construction, pipeline installation, and deep-water maintenance tasks. Depth ratings in this class routinely exceed 3,000 metres, with some systems in our inventory rated to 5,000 metres. Work-class ROVs are deployed from dedicated support vessels with purpose-built launch and recovery systems and require experienced, multi-person operational teams. The offshore oil and gas sector is the primary market for these systems, though defence, scientific research, and deep-water salvage operations also rely on work-class capability.
Key applications include subsea tree installation and maintenance, pipeline inspection and repair, riser and flexible inspection, drilling support, underwater construction assistance, and emergency intervention. Silvercrest Submarines holds multiple work-class systems for sale, ranging from established platforms by Schilling, SMD Hydrovision, Oceaneering, Saab SeaEye, and Perry Triton to newer-build deep-rated systems from ISE and SMD.
Observation Class ROVs
Observation-class ROVs operate at the deeper, more capable end of the survey market, with platforms typically rated to 1,000–2,000 metres. These vehicles carry comprehensive sensor packages - high-definition cameras, sonar systems, and in many cases light intervention tooling - making them well-suited to pipeline condition assessments, offshore infrastructure surveys, scientific data collection, and mid-depth inspection tasks where work-class power is unnecessary but depth and sensor performance are essential. They deliver the imaging and navigation capability that serious subsea survey work demands whilst remaining considerably more practical to mobilise and operate than work-class systems.
Silvercrest Submarines holds observation-class vehicles from manufacturers including Saab SeaEye, Sub-Atlantic, Argus, Ocean Modules, and others, several of which are available for both purchase and charter as complete systems with umbilical, winch, and control console.
Inspection Class ROVs
Inspection-class ROVs are compact, practically focused platforms rated to 100–600 metres, designed to balance capable survey performance with ease of deployment. These systems carry sufficient camera, lighting, and sonar capability for detailed visual surveys of harbour structures, dam faces, outfall pipes, aquaculture cages, and shallow offshore infrastructure - without the vessel requirements, crew numbers, or operational costs associated with larger platforms. Many can be mobilised rapidly by a small team from a workboat or quayside, making them well-suited to routine inspection programmes and time-sensitive survey requirements.
Silvercrest Submarines maintains an extensive inspection-class inventory from manufacturers including Saab SeaEye, VideoRay, Sperre, Ageotec, Deep Trekker, and others. Several systems are available for both purchase and charter, with new-build options also available for buyers seeking factory-fresh platforms with full warranty coverage. Many are offered as complete packages with umbilical, winch, control console, and ancillary equipment for rapid mobilisation.
Mini & Eyeball Class ROVs
Micro and eyeball-class ROVs are compact, portable systems designed for single-operator or small-team deployment in shallow to moderate depth applications. Depth ratings in this class typically range from 40 metres to 300 metres, and vehicle weights are low enough for transport by standard vehicles without specialist lifting equipment. These attributes make micro and eyeball ROVs particularly well-suited to routine inspection programmes where mobilisation speed, operational simplicity, and cost-efficiency are the primary drivers.
Typical applications include harbour and port infrastructure surveys, freshwater reservoir and dam inspections, aquaculture facility monitoring, municipal utilities inspection, and industrial facility surveys. Single-operator deployment and minimal support requirements mean these systems can be used by organisations without dedicated subsea teams, and their relatively low acquisition cost makes ownership viable for clients who would not consider larger systems. New-build micro and eyeball-class systems are available through Silvercrest Submarines alongside pre-owned platforms.
ROV Services and Solutions
Silvercrest Submarines provides a comprehensive range of commercial services around remotely operated vehicles, extending well beyond equipment supply. Our involvement in ROV operations over three decades means we understand the full project lifecycle — from initial vehicle selection and acquisition through mobilisation, operation, maintenance, and eventual refurbishment or disposal. This depth of understanding informs every service we provide.
ROV Sales — Silvercrest Submarines maintains a substantial inventory of pre-owned work-class, inspection-class, and micro-class ROVs from leading manufacturers, including SMD Hydrovision, Saab SeaEye, Oceaneering, Argus, Perry Triton, VideoRay, Ocean Modules, Sperre, and others. New-build systems are also available through our manufacturing and brokerage relationships. All pre-owned systems are offered with transparent condition information; where inspection reports are available, these are provided to serious buyers on request.
ROV Charter and Hire — For operators with time-limited projects, seasonal requirements, or one-off inspection campaigns, ROV charter provides access to capable systems without capital investment. Charter arrangements from Silvercrest Submarines include the ROV system, ancillary equipment, and — where required — experienced operators and project management support. We offer charter across multiple ROV classes to match the specific depth, capability, and mobilisation requirements of each project.
Turnkey ROV Operations — Where clients require complete operational delivery rather than equipment supply alone, Silvercrest Submarines can provide turnkey ROV project management: vehicle selection, crew supply, offshore supervision, post-dive reporting, and client liaison. This model is particularly suited to organisations without in-house subsea teams, or to projects in challenging or unfamiliar environments where experienced guidance adds demonstrable value.
ROV Pilot Training — Silvercrest Submarines provides ROV pilot training programmes for vehicle buyers and operators. Training is delivered by experienced operators with direct deployment experience across multiple ROV platforms, covering vehicle handling, emergency procedures, maintenance familiarisation, and operational reporting. Training programmes are tailored to the specific vehicle and operational environment.
Maintenance Planning and Technical Support - Ongoing technical support, maintenance scheduling, and spares provisioning are available to ROV owners and operators. Drawing on our operational experience across multiple platforms and environments, Silvercrest Submarines can assist operators in establishing effective maintenance regimes and identifying credible spares suppliers - reducing the risk of unscheduled downtime on commercial operations.
Subsea Motor Engineering — Australian Manufacturing Facilities
Silvercrest Submarines operates specialist subsea electric motor engineering and manufacturing facilities in Australia. This capability represents a genuine and significant differentiator in the ROV and submersible market: very few operators at our scale maintain dedicated motor manufacturing capability, and fewer still combine that with the operational experience to understand precisely how subsea motors perform under sustained working conditions at depth.
Our subsea motors are engineered for a voltage range of 24V to 6,600V and depth ratings from the surface to 4,000 metres — covering virtually every commercial ROV, submersible, and subsea installation application. Motors are designed and manufactured to customer specification, with bespoke configurations available for applications where off-the-shelf solutions are inadequate or unavailable. Drop-in replacement motor programmes are maintained for several common ROV thruster and hydraulic power unit platforms, enabling operators to restore or upgrade systems without the lead times associated with sourcing from original manufacturers.
The range of applications served by Silvercrest Submarines' subsea motor engineering includes ROV thruster motors, ROV hydraulic power unit drive motors, submarine propulsion systems, subsea trenching and burial systems, heavy-duty subsea pumps, and offshore pumping installations. Industries served span offshore oil and gas, marine construction, mining, defence, and scientific research — wherever reliable, depth-rated electrical drive systems are required.
Services available from our Australian facilities include new motor manufacture to specification, complete motor refurbishment and rewinding, immersion pressure testing to rated depth, performance upgrade programmes for legacy systems, on-site commissioning support, and field service worldwide. For operators managing ageing ROV fleets or submersibles with obsolete drive systems, our motor engineering capability provides a cost-effective alternative to full vehicle replacement.
The subsea motor engineering capability is certified to ISO 9001 and operates within Silvercrest Submarines' broader quality management framework. Detailed technical enquiries, including dimensional surveys for drop-in replacement design, are welcomed.
Applications and Industries Served
Offshore Oil & Gas
Pipeline and Infrastructure Inspection
Scientific Research and Environmental Monitoring
Oceanographic research institutions, marine biology programmes, and environmental monitoring agencies have been significant users of ROV technology for several decades. From shallow coastal surveys to deep-water scientific operations in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, ROVs provide access to environments that are impractical or impossible for divers and that require depth ratings beyond the range of light observation systems. Silvercrest Submarines has supplied ROV systems to research organisations and understands the specific requirements of scientific operations: data logging, sample collection, instrument deployment, and long-duration observation missions.
Dam, Harbour, and Port Infrastructure
Municipal and utilities operators responsible for dam structures, harbour walls, berth faces, outfall pipes, and port infrastructure represent a substantial and growing market for compact inspection-class and micro-class ROVs. These applications typically require moderate depth capability — rarely beyond 150 metres — combined with good manoeuvrability in confined spaces, high-quality imaging, and rapid mobilisation. The ability to conduct inspections without diver deployment reduces risk, cost, and the regulatory burden associated with underwater personnel operations. Silvercrest Submarines holds multiple systems well-suited to this sector, including new-build platforms.
Search and Recovery Operations
Emergency services, insurance underwriters, salvage contractors, and maritime law enforcement agencies use ROVs for search operations, wreck surveys, evidence recovery, and subsea documentation. The requirement in this sector is typically for rapid mobilisation of a capable imaging and manipulation system, often in challenging visibility conditions and unpredictable environments. Silvercrest Submarines' operational experience includes wreck operations and search activity, and several systems in our inventory — particularly those with manipulator capability and comprehensive lighting — are well-suited to recovery work.
Renewable Energy
The rapid growth of offshore wind and tidal energy infrastructure has created significant new demand for inspection-class and work-class ROVs. Monopile and jacket structure inspections, inter-array cable surveys, scour monitoring, and subsea equipment maintenance are all routine operational requirements for offshore wind farm operators. As the installed base of offshore renewable energy assets increases across European waters and beyond, the inspection and maintenance burden represents an expanding and long-duration market. Silvercrest Submarines is positioned to supply both equipment and operational expertise to renewable energy operators requiring subsea access capability.
Aquaculture
Fish farm operators and aquaculture facility managers use compact ROVs for routine cage inspections, net condition surveys, seabed assessment beneath active sites, and equipment monitoring. The requirement is for simple, robust systems operable by farm staff without specialist subsea training — compact micro and eyeball-class ROVs from our inventory address this market well, providing reliable access at modest depths with minimal operational complexity.
Technical Capabilities at a Glance
Depth Capability by ROV Class: Micro and eyeball class: 40–300 metres | Inspection class: 100–600 metres | Observation class: 500–2,000 metres | Work class: 1,000–5,000 metres
Hydraulic Power (Work Class): 100HP to 230HP and above, depending on system; full hydraulic tooling capability, including manipulators, torque tools, and cutting systems
Sensor Packages: High-definition and low-light cameras; multibeam and scanning sonar systems, including Tritech Super SeaKing and BlueView MB; USBL and acoustic positioning; altimeters; gyrocompass and AHRS systems
Manipulator Systems: Seven-function hydraulic manipulators (Schilling, ISE, Hydro-Lek); five-function grabbers; light-duty observation-class grabbers; hydraulic tool controller interfaces
Support Equipment Available: TMS (tether management systems); A-frame and hydraulic LARS; dedicated control vans and containers; slip-ring umbilical winches; umbilicals from 150m to 5,000m
Subsea Motor Engineering: 24V to 6,600V | 0 to 4,000 metres depth rated | New manufacture, refurbishment, and drop-in replacement | ISO 9001 certified Australian facilities
Why Choose Silvercrest Submarines
The ROV market includes a wide range of equipment suppliers, charter operators, and manufacturers. Silvercrest Submarines occupies a distinctive position within it: we are experienced subsea contractors who have deployed ROVs operationally over more than three decades, across environments ranging from the Arctic to tropical reef systems, and for clients ranging from offshore energy majors to government research agencies. When we describe a system's capability, we describe it from direct operational experience — not from manufacturer literature alone.
This operational background shapes the quality of advice we provide. When a client approaches us with a project requirement, our starting point is the operational environment and the task — not the inventory. We will recommend a system that genuinely suits the requirement, and where our own inventory does not include the optimum solution, we will say so. Our reputation is built on long-term relationships, and those relationships are sustained by honest, technically grounded advice.
The subsea motor engineering capability in Australia further strengthens our position. No other operator at our scale combines ROV sales and charter with in-house manufacture of depth-rated electric motors to 4,000 metres. For clients managing ageing ROV fleets, this represents a genuine advantage: the ability to source replacement and upgrade motors from an operator who understands the systems they power, at specifications that meet or exceed original performance.
We provide flexible commercial arrangements - outright purchase, charter, turnkey operations, and hybrid models - to suit different project structures and budget frameworks. All enquiries are handled personally by senior technical staff; we do not operate a call-centre approach to subsea equipment enquiry. Serious buyers and operators are invited to use the enquiry form on this page to open a confidential conversation about their requirements.