The purpose built system by Unique Hydra, a division of UMG, will be installed at UMG's facility in the Hamriyah Free Zone, Sharjah.

UMG said major oil companies and dive operators with a view to using the system have already shown "considerable interest", with the first contract announcement by UMG expected before the end of the month.

HRF units are used in the diving industry to ensure that in the event of an emergency evacuation of a diving support vessel (DSV) with divers in saturation; while a more controlled and comfortable decompression and medical treatment will be available for the divers.

The HRF dive chamber can receive a self-propelled hyperbaric lifeboat with a bottom mating trunk or a hyperbaric rescue chamber (HRC) via an end-mate or a side-mate custom spool and clamp arrangement.

Their HRC or SPHL after launch can be transported to the HRF which is set up at a shore facility where monitoring and decompression of the divers can be safely completed.

Ian Huggins, general manager of UMG subsidiary Unique System FZE, said his company saw a demand for this type of life support unit in the region and made the decision to build and deploy the HRF into the local region to support commercial diving operators in their process to further enhance the safety of their diving teams.

"We are offering to closely work with the diving operators to make sure that their respective hyperbaric lifeboat chambers will mate with the HRF here," he said.