New helicopter-deployable towing system aims to strengthen maritime rescue operations

Researchers and maritime rescue organizations in Norway have successfully tested a new emergency towing system designed to improve rescue helicopter operations during ship emergencies at sea.

Developed through the EMTOW project led by SINTEF in collaboration with the Norwegian Coastal Administration and industry partners, the system is intended to help rescue teams establish emergency towlines more quickly when vessels lose power or are left drifting.

The equipment was evaluated during a full-scale exercise in the Lofoten archipelago involving the Norwegian Coast Guard, the Norwegian Armed ’Forces’ 330 Squadron, Bergen Fire Department, and the cruise ship MS Spitsbergen.

During the exercise, a SAR Queen rescue helicopter (a Leonardo AW101) transported personnel and the new towing equipment to the vessel before a towline was established with a nearby Coast Guard ship.

Unlike conventional emergency towing equipment, which can weigh up to one metric ton and is typically carried beneath a helicopter as an external load, the new system weighs approximately 75kg and is compact enough to be transported inside the aircraft.

Researchers said carrying the equipment internally allows helicopters to operate over greater distances and in more demanding weather conditions while reducing the operational limitations associated with external sling loads.

The system includes a lightweight towline and a specially designed transport bag, or ‘helibag’, enabling rescue personnel to move the equipment quickly across a vessel before deploying the towline.

Ørjan Selvik, Senior Advisor at SINTEF Ocean and leader of the exercise, said: “The equipment to be used must be easy to handle and at the same time able to withstand the extreme forces it’s subjected to”.

The exercise took on added significance when a real maritime emergency occurred shortly afterwards. Crew members who had participated in the training were later deployed to assist the bulk carrier LMZ Pluto after it lost engine power in the Norwegian Sea, although the new towing equipment itself was not used during that response.

The development comes ahead of new international emergency towing requirements due to take effect in 2028 for ships exceeding 20,000 gross tonnage, with researchers saying additional training will be needed before the new system enters wider operational use.

Elsewhere, Coptersafety recently announced plans to open a new helicopter training center in Oslo, Norway, in 2028, adding simulator capacity for helicopter emergency medical services, search and rescue, and offshore operators.