m/v Siem Swordfish

The Siem Swordfish is a new ROV (remotely operated vehicle) support vessel constructed for Siem Offshore AS by Kleven Werft at their yard in Norway (hull number 315, keel was laid in October 2006). The ship is of an MT 6016 L design (designed by Marin Teknikk AS) and will operate in a variety of different waters carrying out ROV support, subsea surveys, diving support, deep-sea crane operations, inspection, repair, construction and maintenance.

The ship, which was delivered in June 2007 (christened in Gerainger Fjord on 27 August 2007), is on a five-year charter to Veolia Environment Inc (with an option to buy the vessel when the charter is complete). The 4,800-gross-ton vessel is of a clean design (Clean Class and COMF-V rate 3) which means lower fuel consumption and lower emissions with a notation of DnV X 1A1, ICE C, Supply vessel, SF, E0,DYNPOS-AUTR, Comf-V(3),Naut OSV (A), Clean Design, DK(+), Helideck-S.

Technical

The ship has an overall length of 103.7m, length between the perpendiculars of 96.8m, loaded length of 94.8m, a beam of 19.7m, a draft of 6.2m, net tonnage of 1,450t and a deadweight of 4,500t.

The ship's propulsion is diesel electric driven and makes use of frequency controlled propellers, pumps and fans. The ship is powered by Caterpillar engines and uses Rolls-Royce AZP100FP azimuthing thrusters to provide main propulsion (able to make 16kt). There is also a Kongsberg SDP21 dynamic positioning system for accurate maintenance of position when engaged in operations.

Accomodation

Accommodation on board the ship is arranged for 100 crew and personnel. There are 24 single-berth cabins with separate bathroom, 24 double-berth cabins with separate bathroom, three four-bed cabins and eight one-plus-one-man cabins (Pullman).

"Siem Swordfish was delivered in June 2007."

Additional space onboard for work activities includes a conference room with nine seats, a four-person office on the shelter deck, a sky lobby reception and TV room, one conference room on the captain's deck, two survey / operations rooms on the bridge deck, and three large offices on the main deck.

Work equipment

The ship is equipped with four cranes from Hydra-marine including: one 150t active heave compensated subsea crane, one 70t active heave compensated subsea crane and two 5t deck cranes. The large crane (Hydra-marine HMC 3568) is capable of making a 150t lift and can operate to a depth of 3,000m using 64mm galvanised non-rot wire.

The work / cargo deck area is 1,150m² with a strength of up to 10t/m² (deck cargo capacity is 2,150t). There is a 7.2m × 7.2m moon pool with a flush hatch and also various ROV areas such as a workshop, LARS area, storage area and launch area. The ship also has a helideck that is rated for S92 (Sikorsky helicopters).

source: http://www.ship-technology.com/

Read More

m/v Simon Stevin

Length Overall     191.5m

Breadth               40m

Draught               8.5m

Depth                 13.2m

Length Between Perpendiculars       175m

    Simon Stevin is a deepwater mining and fallpipe vessel that was delivered in early 2010. With a load capacity of 33,500t, she is considered to be the largest vessel of her kind in the world.

She is also the first purpose built fallpipe vessel. Nordnes is the second largest fallpipe vessel.

Ordered by Dredging and Maritime Management, a subsidiary of Jan De Nul Group, the vessel was built by Construcciones Navales del Norte (CNN).

The vessel was built as part of Jan De Nul's 2007-2011 investment programme worth €1.8bn.

The vessel will be mainly utilised in the offshore market to install oil and gas pipes at large depths. The ship started off operations with two rock dumping projects in Australia.

Simon Stevin design and features

"Simon Stevin is a deepwater mining and fallpipe vessel that was delivered in early 2010."

The basic design of the vessel was developed by Vuyk Engineering Rotterdam. The structural design was completed in cooperation with the builder CNN and the owner Jan De Nul. The hull was designed in close cooperation with Bureau Veritas (BV).

The vessel has the capacity to carry 33,500t of quarry rock in two large rock hoppers located on the main deck that can hold 20t/m2. The two hydraulic excavator cranes discharge the rocks into the fall pipe module. Weighing 2,000t, the fall pipe module was built in Antwerp, Belgium.

It is as large as an apartment complex consisting of 70 apartments spread over eight floors. The rocks can be discharged into the sea to a maximum water depth of 2,000m. Depending on period and direction, the vessel can operate in a wave height of 3.5 to 4.5m.

The fallpipe is tied beneath the vessel so the rocks can be placed with great accuracy and features an ROV (remotely operated vehicle) that accurately positions its lower end. A second ROV is used for surveying and other interventions.

The 191.5m long vessel features a helicopter landing platform. A total of 70 people can be accommodated onboard. The breadth of the vessel is 40m, draught is 8.5m and depth to main deck is 13.2m. The length between perpendiculars is 175m. The vessel also features a moon pool which is located between the two rock hoppers. The ship, when fully loaded, can cruise at a speed of 15.5kt.

Construction of the deepwater mining and fallpipe vessel

The order for the construction of the vessel was placed in 2007. The first steel was cut in December 2007 and the keel was laid in April 2008 in Sestao, Bilbao, Spain. She was launched in March 2009. Construction lasted 26 months and the ship was finally handed over to her owner in February 2010.

Propulsion, power and performance

Simon Stevin is a diesel-electric vessel fitted with two bow thrusters and four propulsion thrusters. It is powered by a series of five MAN Diesel 32/40 main engines.

Each engine can generate 4,500kW at 720rpm. The engines are manufactured by STX Engine Company, a Korean licensee of MAN Diesel.

"The vessel was built as part of Jan De Nul's 2007-2011 investment programme worth €1.8bn."

The MAN Diesel 32/40 four stroke engine runs on heavy fuel oil (HFO). Its design is optimised to achieve uninterrupted operation at loads down to 20% and to accept overloads of 10%. The engine is fitted with a jet-assist device that injects compressed air directly into the compressor wheels of the turbochargers to attain quick response to high and sharp load variations. The engine requires minimum maintenance and has low lube-oil consumption (0.5 to 0.8g/kWh). Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology incorporated in the engine helps to restrict NOx emission levels below the upper limits set by the IMO (International Maritime Organization).

The vessel is also equipped with an auxiliary diesel generator set and a 350kW emergency generator set.

source: http://www.ship-technology.com/

Read More

m/v Solitaire

Solitaire, the largest pipelay vessel in the world, has set new standards in the pipelay industry. Based on the same principles as Lorelay, her ship-shape provides excellent workability. She has a pipe carrying capacity of 22000 t, making her less dependent on offshore pipe supply in hostile areas. Precise manoeuvring on full dynamic positioning allows the vessel to work safely in congested areas. Her high cruising speed and lay speed make her very competitive worldwide.

The vessel has been operational since 1998 and has since steadily improved her performance. A lay speed of over 9 km a day has been achieved, operating the in-house developed Phoenix automatic welding system.
She has laid numerous deepwater pipelines and holds a deepwater pipelay record in 2775 m (9100’). Her S-lay capacity was increased in 2005 to a holding force of 1050 t, enabling her to lay the heaviest pipelines.

Length overall excluding stinger
300 m (984 ft)

Transit speed
13 knots

Accommodation
420 men

Dynamic Positioning system
NMD Class 3 / LR DP (AAA), type Simrad Kongsberg 2 x ADP702 & 1 X ADP701

Cranes
Two pipe transfer cranes of 35 t (77 kips) at 33 m (108 ft), whip hoist 18 t (40 kips) at 42 m (138 ft); one special purpose crane, main hoist 300 t (661 kips) at 17 m (56 ft), whip hoist 40 t (88 kips) at 57 m (187 ft)

Working stations
2 double-jointing plants, 5 welding stations for double joints, 1 NDT station, 4 coating stations

Tensioner capacity
3 x 350 t (772 kips) at 30 m/min (98 ft/min)

Pipe diameters
From 2″ to 60″ O.D.

Read More

mv Peace In Africa

Marine diamond mining vessel "Peace in Africa"

De Beers Consolidated Mines (DBCM) launched its first marine diamond vessel in april 2007.

The vessel is currently mining off the South African coast. De Beers has been testing the viability of marine diamond mining for years. Off the Namibian coast, De Beers has already held trials with the raw power of conventional trailer-dredgers to prove their point.

The "Peace in Africa" is the ex "Dock Express 20", retrofitted to mine diamonds offshore. The whole project took two years to finish. The Dock Express was built 1983, and latest used as a cable-layer.

The ship carries a 240-ton remotely controlled seabed crawler, which undertakes the mining, or dredging, and is connected to the ship by a 650 mm internal diameter rubber hose through which the seabed material is pumped to the plant, using a 2.4MW IHC centrifugal dredgepump. The ship and crawler are able to work to waterdepths of max 150 metres.

The dredged material is pumped into a screening and sieving installation onboard. The raw material is treated untill a diamond rich residue remains. This residue is airlifted with a helicopter to the shore, for further processing.

The whole ship incorporates almost all processes found in a land-based diamond mine.
The vessel is mining sediment at up to 400 m3/h, which is double the rate that other mining ships can achieve.
The vessel will attempt to remain at sea continuously for 2 ½ years before returning to port for repairs. The crew works on board for 28 days (12 hours on, 12 hours off) followed by 28 days leave and is flown in and out by helicopter, similar to offshore oil rigs.
If the vessel manages to uncover the right materials continually, De Beers will consider expanding its fleet of diamond mining vessels to exploit a greater part of the resource at a greater pace.

Read More