Damen Shipyards books repeat order for wind farm support vessels

Written by Nick Blenkey

damenoffshorewind6Scottish offshore service provider MarineCo UK has placed an order at Damen Shipyards for two more High Speed Support Vessels (HSSVs). The newbuilds are to be delivered in May and October 2012. The contract includes options for two further vessels.

MarineCo took delivery of Damen’s first two HSSV 2610 Twin Axe offshore wind farm support vessels – the MarineCo Shamal and MarineCo Mariah – in June and December last year.

“I truly believe that this vessel will become the mainstay of the wind farm industry in the years to come,” says MarineCo Managing Director Mike Conafray. “It is the best boat in generations!”

Recently, MarineCo took a client out to visit Sheringham Shoal Offshore Wind Farm in rough seas with 1.5 to 2 m waves. Mr. Conafray says:”All the other crew transfer vessels were laid up awaiting better weather, but ours had no problem docking at the monopiles.”

With the second vessel already on a long term charter at a German wind farm, the two latest newbuilds will also be committed to wind farm supply and maintenance.

“We receive emails all the time from potential charterers,” says Mr. Conafray. “The Marineco Mariah was contracted for a three-year charter deal before she was even launched!”

Damen implemented several design changes for the new series in close cooperation with the client. The goal was to enable the HSSV (based on Damen’s Fast Crew Supplier 2610) to stay out in the field for up to four days at a time.

Mr. Conafray says: “We always wanted the vessel to fulfill four functions: to be able to provide fuel supplies, to carry out survey work, diving and support work and to be able to clean monopiles. This vessel can do all four.”

Noticeable design adaptations are a larger, 20,000 liter fuel tank to comfortably travel 1,200 nm and transfer fuel to wind turbines, increased fresh water capacity (4,000 liters), 50 percent more accommodations and a larger bridge.

January 23, 2011

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