An emergency ship arrest system includes a vessel attachment system, a retrieving system, and an anchor system. The vessel attachment system is configured to connect to a vessel at sea, and includes a bridle system and a hawser line. The bridle system is operatively connected to the hawser line's proximal end. The bridle system is configured to engage fittings on two sides of a foredeck of the vessel to distribute the load over the foredeck. The retrieving system includes a retrieving line with a proximal end that is detachably connected to the hawser line's distal end in a setup position. The anchor system includes a main rode and a para sea anchor. The main rode's proximal end is detachably connected to the hawser line's distal end in an anchor position.

An emergency vessel towing system includes a vessel attachment system, a retrieving system, and a towing line. The vessel attachment system is configured to connect to a vessel at sea, and includes a bridle system and a hawser line. The bridle system is operatively connected to the hawser line's proximal end. The bridle system is configured to engage fittings on two sides of a foredeck of the vessel to distribute the load over the foredeck. The retrieving system includes a retrieving line with a proximal end that is detachably connected to the hawser line's distal end in a setup position. The towing line is detachably connected to the hawser line's distal end in a towing position.

An emergency vessel towing system includes a vessel attachment system, a retrieving system, and a towing line. The vessel attachment system is configured to connect to a vessel at sea, and includes a bridle system and a hawser line. The bridle system is operatively connected to the hawser line's proximal end. The bridle system is configured to engage fittings on two sides of a foredeck of the vessel to distribute the load over the foredeck. The retrieving system includes a retrieving line with a proximal end that is detachably connected to the hawser line's distal end in a setup position. The towing line is detachably connected to the hawser line's distal end in a towing position.

A decoy system with a ballast that holds batteries to power the various elements of the decoy system including a Global Positioning System or location based receiver and circuitry that automatically controls the navigation of the decoy based on real-time location and desired/selected pattern information. The system can include a decoy with a propulsion system and steering system and an interface to a smart phone running a remote control app. The remote control app can be used to control the navigation of the decoy in view of the location information received from the GPS.

A bathythermograph buoy and an associated method of operation are provided to measure temperature and/or optionally other parameter(s) within an ocean or another body of water. A bathythermograph buoy includes a housing and one or more sensors carried by the housing and configured to repeatedly measure one or more respective parameters as the bathythermograph buoy descends. The bathythermograph buoy of one example also includes a memory carried by the housing and configured to store representations of the one or more respective parameters measured by the one or more sensors. The bathythermograph buoy further includes a buoyancy modification device configured to increase buoyancy of the bathythermograph buoy to permit the bathythermograph buoy to ascend.

A technique for managing an attachment between first and second portions of a device. The technique includes a retaining component having a first state in which the retaining component maintains the attachment between the first and second portions by virtue of a rigid characteristic and a second state in which the retaining component loses the rigid characteristic and no longer maintains the attachment. The retaining component transitions from the first state to the second state upon exposure to liquid water.

A method of filling a chamber with buoyant macrospheres places a mass of the spheres into a mould cavity. In the mould cavity, packing of the spheres is optimized to form an optimally-packed mass, followed by fixing the spheres in the optimally-packed mass to form a block. The block is then transferred from the mould cavity into the chamber while the spheres of the block remain fixed in the optimally-packed mass. This method enables the production of a buoyant element comprising an envelope defining an internal chamber that contains a mass of buoyant macrospheres each with an external diameter of at least 5 mm, packed with a packing factor of at least 50%.

A method of filling a chamber with buoyant macrospheres places a mass of the spheres into a mould cavity. In the mould cavity, packing of the spheres is optimized to form an optimally-packed mass, followed by fixing the spheres in the optimally-packed mass to form a block. The block is then transferred from the mould cavity into the chamber while the spheres of the block remain fixed in the optimally-packed mass. This method enables the production of a buoyant element comprising an envelope defining an internal chamber that contains a mass of buoyant macrospheres each with an external diameter of at least 5 mm, packed with a packing factor of at least 50%.

A self-deploying float assembly to support mechanical equipment such as aerators and mixers for use in water, wastewater and process water stream treatment basins and a method of installing same.

A self-deploying float assembly to support mechanical equipment such as aerators and mixers for use in water, wastewater and process water stream treatment basins and a method of installing same.