But that is not always the case.
These ships work by having a shaft lower a chamber to the bottom of the sea.
Once there, a compressor blows air inside the chamber, which empties out the water.
Photo: Damen Shipyard
Then, once they are ready, they descend into the chamber through a stairwell in the shaft.
Afterward, it’s just a matter of collecting the lost material or carrying out whatever work is required.
Workers will strap heavier materials to a crank that will assist them in pulling the item to the surface.
Currently, there are just two diving bell ships working in Europe, and they both patrol the Rhine.
Due to the nature of the river and its rapid currents, regular diving excursions are dangerous.
And while this concept seems futuristic, diving bells have been used for centuries.
These diving bell ships just take the technology and use it on a larger scale.
To learn more about how they work, check out the short documentary below.
