Incat Crowther commissioned to design FSIV trio
Written by Nick Blenkey
FSIVs will support Saudi Aramco’s operations in the Middle East.[Image: Incat Crowther]
Singapore shipbuilder Lita Ocean has commissioned Incat Crowther to design three new ABS-classed monohull fast support intervention vessels (FSIVs) for Saudi Arabia’s Zamil Offshore, which will use the 60-meter vessels to transport cargo, heavy maintenance equipment and personnel for Saudi Aramco’s operations in the Middle East. The vessels will comply with the latest Saudi Aramco requirements, including ABS SMART and IDM-A notations.
The fast support vessels will be powered by four MTU 16V4000M63L diesel engines, each developing 2,240 kW at 1,800rpm, coupled to ZF gearboxes driving Hamiltonjet HT810 waterjets to deliver a full load service speed of 25 knots. To allow safe docking and unloading of cargo and personnel while in class-certified DP-2 dynamic positioning mode, maneuverabiliy is enhanced by three Hydromaster tunnel bow thrusters.
Two of the main engines will be coupled to 1,200 cubic meters per hour firefighting pumps offering Fifi-1 capability.
The vessels’ main deck offers a 250 square meter aft cargo deck rated at 2.5 tonnes per square meter and a climate- controlled forward cabin featuring business-class seating for 60 service personnel in a spacious passenger lounge, as well as three bathrooms, an office, snack bar and well-equipped medical bay. The vessels’ 18 crew are housed on the hull deck which offers four two-berth dorms, two four-bed dorms and two single-bed dorms. The hull deck also features a large pantry, mess, three bathrooms and laundry.
Health provisions include an isolation room located behind a sealed door.
“This project has seen our team of skilled naval architects and digital shipbuilders deploy a range of design and engineering processes to ensure the design of these vessels strikes the right balance between operational efficiency, seakeeping capability, manoeuvrability, and stability,” said Incat Crowther’s U.S. managing director Grant Pecoraro. “By working closely with our valued partners at Lita Ocean, the final design of these vessels will provide Zamil Offshore state-of-the-art, low-draft FSIVs that are truly tailored to their operational requirements.”
“Lita Ocean has enjoyed partnering with Incat Crowther to deliver truly tailored and operationally efficient vessels to operators throughout Asia and the Middle East and we are pleased to tap into Incat Crowther’s vast experience with large FSIVs,” said Lita Ocean’s Yeo Yingda.
Construction of the FSIVs is expected to be complete in 2024-2025, with testing taking place beginning in 2024.
