SEMTEC is a French commercial diving company carrying out all types of underwater works, from harbours, rivers, lakes and dams to offshore installations. Its surface-supplied divers, supported by ROVs where appropriate, deliver inspection, welding and cutting, underwater civil engineering, pipeline and cable works, ship repair afloat, salvage and underwater UXO clearance. SEMTEC is based in La Seyne-sur-Mer, near Toulon, and is the underwater subsidiary of the DEMINETEC Group.
Our commercial diving services
Underwater inspection and testing
Visual and video inspection of quays, piles, sheet piling, locks, dams, intakes and outfalls, hull surveys, thickness gauging, cathodic protection measurements and condition reports. See underwater inspection.
Underwater welding and cutting
Wet welding with coated electrodes, habitat (dry) welding qualified to AWS D3.6M, oxy-arc and mechanical cutting for repairs, reinforcement and removal of structures.
Underwater civil engineering
Formwork, underwater concreting and grouting, scour repair, anchoring, drilling and bolting, installation of fenders and ladders, repair of quay walls and harbour structures.
Pipelines, outfalls and cables
Installation, inspection and repair of intakes, outfalls and subsea pipelines, free span correction, concrete mattresses and grout bags, cable route inspection and protection. See offshore works.
Ship husbandry afloat
Hull and propeller inspection, hull cleaning, cofferdams, temporary repairs, anode replacement and work on rudders, thrusters and sea chests without dry-docking.
Salvage and obstruction removal
Refloating of sunken craft, removal of wrecks, debris and obstructions from berths and channels.
Underwater UXO survey and clearance
Desk study, magnetometer survey, identification of targets by diver or ROV and disposal of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and explosive remnants of war (ERW) before dredging, piling, cable laying or offshore construction.
Diving methods and equipment
SEMTEC works primarily with surface-supplied air diving, with dive control, gas panel, communications and video, a standby diver and a decompression chamber where the dive profile requires it. ROVs are used for deep, long or hazardous inspections and for target identification. Spreads are mobilised from quays, workboats or support vessels depending on the site. See hyperbaric works.
Regulatory framework in France
Hyperbaric work in France is governed by articles R.4461-1 et seq. of the Labour Code (decree 2011-45 of 11 January 2011) and their implementing orders. Each diver holds a CAH with the mention and pressure class matching the work; operations are run by a hyperbaric operations manager under the company's hyperbaric safety manual and a site-specific risk assessment. Work involving explosive ordnance on a construction site also falls under decree 2005-1325 as amended.
Where we work
SEMTEC works in French commercial and naval ports on the Channel, the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, on inland waterways and reservoirs, in the French overseas territories and abroad for underwater works and UXO clearance.
Frequently asked questions about commercial diving
What does a commercial diving company do?
A commercial diving company performs construction, maintenance and inspection work underwater for ports, public works, industry, energy and offshore operators: inspection and non-destructive testing, welding and cutting, concreting and grouting, installation and repair of pipelines and cables, hull work on ships afloat, salvage and removal of obstructions.
What qualification do commercial divers need in France?
In France, every worker exposed to hyperbaric conditions must hold a certificate of fitness for hyperbaric work (CAH) under articles R.4461-1 et seq. of the Labour Code (decree 2011-45). Commercial divers on public works and industrial sites hold mention A, with a pressure class (0, I, II or III) defining the maximum working pressure.
What is surface-supplied diving?
The diver breathes gas supplied from the surface through an umbilical that also carries voice communications, video and, where required, hot water or tool power. It allows long working times, permanent supervision from the dive control and immediate intervention by a standby diver.
Can SEMTEC combine diving and UXO clearance?
Yes. SEMTEC belongs to the DEMINETEC Group and integrates underwater UXO survey and clearance into marine works, so that harbour, river and offshore projects can manage explosive ordnance risk and underwater works with one contractor.
See all SEMTEC services or contact SEMTEC for a quotation.