Page 22: of Marine Technology Magazine (November 2013)

In the Yard Announced in June 2011, Bourbon and CGG entered a Þ ve-year charter agreement for a series of six custom newbuild seismic support vessels. Now more than two years later, the third ship in the series, Bourbon Gannet, is due to enter service in the early part of 2014, following the launch of the Þ rst two vessels, Bourbon Petrel and Bourbon Fulmar, in summer and autumn 2013, respectively. The re- maining three sister vessels are under construction in DubaiÕs Grandweld Shipyard, also slated for launch in 2014. The six Bourbon ships were engineered by naval architecture company Offshore Ship Designers to assist CGGÕs offshore seismic operations. The Cyprus-ß agged, 53-m vessels boast 50-metric-ton bollard pull capabilities and are designed for following tasks: personnel transportation for crew rotations, equipment transportation, bunkering operations, supply of water and provisions, sewage and sludge transfer, operational protection assistance (anti-collision, clearing transit routes), emergency towing capacity to ensure the continuity of seismic operations and maritime assistance and support during main-tenance operations. Bourbon Petrel has been supporting the CGG Symphony seismic vessel in the Black Sea since July 2013, where it has carried out many refueling operations, including inline bun- kering, in addition to towing work and crew rotations. Bour- bon Fulmar is currently assisting the Viking Vanquish, a seis- mic vessel operating in Northern Europe. Importantly, the six support vessels operate on versatile hy- brid propulsion systems to provide optimized fuel efÞ ciency over a diverse range of tasks: diesel-electric power is often better suited for escort operations, while mechanical propul-sion is used for maximum power in transit and during opera- tions. The propulsion systems include Berg shaftlines, Cater- pillar engines and generators and Techsol electrical systems. Representatives from Bourbon and CGG declined to say how much the hybrid propulsion hiked the shipsÕ overall cost, but they did estimate fuel savings in the range of 30-40% com- Bourbon Continues to Build Seismic Survey Success (Photo: choppershoot.com courtesy Bourbon) By Eric HaunThe vessel sports a hybrid propulsion system that saves an estimated fuel savings in the range of 30-40% compared to standard vessels.22 MTRNovember/December 2013MTR #9 (18-33).indd 22MTR #9 (18-33).indd 2212/12/2013 11:08:10 AM12/12/2013 11:08:10 AM