Shelf Subsea Donation

Shelf Subsea Powers CDA Training Expansion

At Commercial Dive Academy (CDA), we’re proud to stand as the world’s last remaining saturation diving school—a title that carries both responsibility and opportunity. Thanks to the incredible generosity of Shelf Subsea Australia, our ability to deliver world-class diver training has taken a major leap forward.

Last year, Shelf Subsea made a landmark donation of offshore-standard diving equipment to CDA. Facilitated by Peter Evans, Managing Director at Shelf Subsea Australia, this contribution has significantly enhanced our saturation diving training capabilities in Tasmania and enabled the launch of our new campus in Western Australia.

A Game-Changing Donation

The donation includes a complete offshore air dive spread: a containerised deck decompression chamber, three diver control panels with integrated video systems and cameras, comms boxes, umbilicals, and a matching machinery container equipped with a hydraulic power unit and generator. Shelf Subsea also donated a 20ft gas reclaim system—used to reclaim helium from the heliox breathed by divers—bringing our training setup in line with real offshore operations.

Alan Strong, owner and managing director of CDA, expressed his deep appreciation:

“It is with great gratitude that I want to thank Peter for putting his hand deep into Shelf Subsea Australia’s pockets to provide this huge financial and technical assistance to CDA Australia – a gift of training equipment up to real offshore standards.
It is an unbelievable contribution to our training establishment and thanks doesn’t really convey enough our gratitude. Recognition and thanks must go out to Peter Evans and Shelf Subsea for this selfless act.”

Real-World Training for Real-World Jobs

This equipment allows CDA to simulate offshore saturation diving conditions with unprecedented accuracy. For our students, this means:

• Training on IMCA-compliant systems used by leading offshore contractors.
• Experience with gas reclaim systems, preparing them for deep, long-duration dives.
• Access to IMCA compliant control panels, Bells and decompression chambers, building confidence and competence in high-pressure environments.

These upgrades ensure our graduates are not just certified—they’re job-ready, with practical skills that meet the demands of today’s offshore energy and marine sectors.

Bringing Diver Training Back to Western Australia

The donation also enabled CDA to establish a new training facility in Western Australia, a region with a rich history in commercial diving but no active training schools for nearly a decade. With many dive companies based in WA, this expansion is a strategic win for the industry.

Peter Evans shared the story behind the donation:

“With the shift in Western Australia to deep ROV-based decommissioning work, Shelf had several IMCA-compliant air spreads idle and needing a good home.
This presented Shelf with the opportunity to give back to our industry and support diver training with the donation of an operational and complete offshore air spread.
At the same time, Alan spied an unused gas transfer machinery van in our workshop and asked the obvious question… and the rest is history!”

A Partnership That Builds the Future

Shelf Subsea’s support is more than a donation—it’s a commitment to the future of commercial diving. As saturation diving schools around the world close due to financial pressures, CDA remains a beacon of excellence, backed by industry leaders who understand the importance of high-quality training.

Whether you’re just starting your journey or looking to advance into saturation diving, CDA offers the most comprehensive and industry-relevant training available. With campuses in Tasmania and Western Australia, upgraded equipment, and strong industry ties, there’s never been a better time to dive into your future.