Damen Shipyards delivers first Shoalbuster 3512

3512 is largest Shoalbuster design thus far

MAY 20, 2016 —The first of Damen’s new Shoalbuster 3512 class multipurpose workboat, the Noordstrom, was recently handed over to Dutch marine services specialist Van Wijngaarden Marine Services B.V. in the port of Boven-Hardinxveld, the Netherlands.

At 35 m in length, the 3512 is the largest Shoalbuster built to date, yet with a draft of just 2.9 m it has unrivaled shallow waters capability.

Work on designing the vessel began at Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld in February 2015, with the objective of delivering a workboat capable of undertaking a wide range of roles including towing, mooring, pushing, anchor handling, dredge support, supplying and other support roles.

The Damen Shoalbuster range is well known for its versatility and can handle tasks ranging from short and long distance towing to support for offshore projects such as the construction and maintenance of windfarms.

The 3512 extends the range’s capabilities, with a bollard pull of 56 tonnes, a deck area totaling 145 sq. m, enough space for seven 20 foot and two 10 foot containers, and an 11.3 tonnes @ 16.5 m deck crane.

Illustrating just how flexible the Noordstroom is, she can be fitted with a range of auxiliary modules when needed, including a 50-tonne A-frame with a plow for seabed levelling, a four-point mooring system, an ROV platform and a diving operations platform.

The Noordstroom is equipped with tanks capable of storing 255 m³ of fuel oil and 43 m³ of fresh water. Other features include a fresh water maker, a sewage treatment plant and a moonpool (Netto: 700 x 600 mm).

The Noordstroom is powered by three 970 kW Caterpillar C32 ACERT 4-stroke diesel marine engines delivering a total of 2,910 bkW at 1,800 rpm. The center engine is configured with a generator to supply electrical power to the hydraulic deck gear including the crane and winch, as well as the bow thruster.

Each engine  has a Reintjes reverse reduction gearbox with built-in hydraulically-operated clutch, and drives a Promarin fixed pitch propeller in a Van der Giessen Optima nozzle. There is also a 300 bhp electrically-driven bow thruster. Two Caterpillar C7.1 main generators generate 187.5 kVA of power each. In addition, one 600 EkW emergency power generator coupled to the center C32 main engine has been fitted. Other auxiliary equipment include transfer pumps for freshwater and fuel oil, a Westfalia OTC-2 fuel oil separator, and an electrically-driven hydraulic set with two E-motors of 110 kW and 52 kW respectively.

The navigation and communication equipment on-board the Noordstroom is tailored to the requirements of global trade.

The accommodations provide heated and air-conditioned living spaces that include a captain’s cabin, two single crew cabins, four double crew cabins, a galley, a mess, and sanitary facilities.
There also an office for the client, complete with V-SAT connection.

The Noordstroom is classed by Bureau Veritas: I # HULL •Mach, Tug Unrestricted navigation • AUT-UMS, with an Anchor Handling notation and sustainable practises onboard resulting in a ‘Clean Ship Notation’ conforming to the IMO’s ‘Green Passport’ regulations.

Peter van Wijngaarden, Managing Director of Van Wijngaarden Marine Services, says, “The Noordstroom is a versatile, innovative, sustainable and very powerful work/tugboat, completely designed to meet the requirements of the current market.”

The Noordstroom is the fifth Damen vessel to join the 14-strong Van Wijngaarden fleet. The first was a second-hand Damen Pushy Cat 42 bought over forty years ago and which is still in active service today.