OSV Power

The continued maturation of Offshore Service Vessel design is embodied in recent contracts and deliveries.

 Ulstein Verft subsea newbuild Island Performer was built for Island Offshore to be a flexible, RLWI/IMR vessel, destined to serve its first five years for FTO in the Gulf of Mexico. “The vessel is customized to suit the scope of work in the FTO contract, in which RLWI (Riser-less Light Well Intervention) and IMR (Inspection/Maintenance/Repair) are the main tasks. She is able to perform operations at depths down to 3,000m,” said Håvard Ulstein, Managing Director, Island Offshore.
Island Performer is a next generation subsea vessel from Ulstein, with large accommodation, storage and lifting capacities. It meets the highest standards for station keeping, redundancy and dynamic positioning (DNV GL class notation DYNPOS AUTRO, equivalent to DP3). Additionally, operability in DYNPOS AUTR (DP2) operational mode is maximized due to the ‘Operation+’ feature with a three-split configuration on main machinery. This set-up allows the vessel to retain system integrity and to continue operations uninterruptedly even after a substantial single system failure.
A shelter deck is stretching all the way past the main moon pool and aft to the main crane. This increases the operational window for moon pool work and offers a shielded space for various equipment.
Arranged on the shelter deck is a multi-skidding system for handling 100-tonne skidding pallets.
The design also includes a heavy-load cargo deck for transporting equipment for a multitude of operations and construction work.
Island Performer has a crew capacity of 130, and in case of evacuation, each of the lifeboats on the starboard and port sides can accommodate everyone on board. Carrying the patented ULSTEIN X-BOW, the vessel has reduced speed loss in head seas, resulting in reduced fuel consumption and emissions to air.
FTO is a joint venture between FMC Technologies, Edison Chouest Offshore and Island Offshore.
Hornbeck Offshore Services in Covington, La., co-founded by Todd Hornbeck in 1997, has quickly emerged as a leader in the offshore sector, and today boasts a staff of nearly 2,000 in Covington and Golden Meadow, La.; Houston; Brazil and Mexico.
“We have built one of the most diverse and capable fleets of high-specification vessels servicing oilfield and select specialty markets,” said Todd Hornbeck. “We’re expanding through one of the world’s largest new construction programs to deliver twenty-four 300 class vessels - including five multi-purpose support vessels featuring helidecks and subsea cranes.” The mid-point of that program is approaching. The company’s fifth OSV new-build program is valued at more than $1.25 billion and consists of four 300 class OSVs, five 310 class OSVs, ten 320 class OSVs and five 310 class MPSVs. As of early June, Hornbeck had placed eight vessels in service under that program, with the remainder to be delivered into 2016. As of June 1, the company’s operating fleet consisted of 55 new generation OSVs and four MPSVs.
St. Johns Ship Building of Palatka, Fla., delivered the Sea Service, a 157-ft. offshore service vessel (OSV) for A. R. Singh Contractors Ltd. The vessel is an addition to the A. R. Singh Contractors Ltd. fleet and will expand the company’s reach into the Caribbean offshore market. This vessel is the second OSV built by St. Johns for A. R. Singh Contractors. Sea Strength is a twin screw vessel powered by two Caterpillar C32 marine type engines rated at 1000 hp each at 1,800 rpm. It features a Schottel bow thruster unit driven by a Caterpillar C12 diesel engine rated at 385 hp at 1,800 rpm and two Caterpillar C4.4 diesel engine powered generator sets, each rated at 99 KW. The OSV is designed to be less than 500 gross tons ITC, have an International Load Line issued by Panama and comply with the Code of Safety for Caribbean Cargo Ships (CCSS Code). The interior is equipped with state of art electronics, a commercial style galley equipped with a walk in freezer and accommodations for 10 passengers and 10 crew members.
Seattle-based Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering company Guido Perla & Associates, Inc. (GPA) won a contract to deliver the Design Package and Class Approval Package for two GPA 150M FSVs.  The ships for Enterprise Shipping, awarded in a contract to build two Fast Supply Vessels for Petróleos Mexicano (Pemex) earlier in 2014, will be built at Maritima de Ecologia S.A. de C.V., (Marecsa), in Mazatlán, Mexico. GPA developed a shallow draft ship with exceptional seakeeping capabilities designed to offer a stable working platform to its crew. The 52- x 10-m vessels provide accommodations for nine crew and can transport 80 passengers with a deck cargo capacity to transport up to 250 mt of supplies on a 261 sq. m. of clear deck area. Equipped with four engines (7,200 hp total), two bow thrusters (150 hp each) and three auxiliary engines (2x 250 kW, 1x 99 kW), the conventionally driven 350 mt dwt vessels will have a service draft speed of 20 knots. 
The FSVs will be constructed in full compliance to meet ABS, +A1, AMS, H.S.C. Crewboat Notation and DPS-1 requirements. Construction of the vessels is expected to commence this summer, with delivery expected in 2016.
CMM took delivery of a Damen Platform Supply Vessel 3300. The 80-m, 3,300t dwt vessel CMM Gravity will be deployed in the Brazilian waters from June 2014 on a 4+4 year contract with Petrobras. For CMM (Compagnie Maritime Monégasque S.A.M.), the vessel will mark a next step in its plans to expand in the offshore space and expand its offering by developing its capabilities as an OSV operator. It is the yard’s seventh delivery of Damen’s new mid-size PSV 3300 design. This vessel will be compliant to Petrobras specifications, including Petrobras Annex V.
Next to the 728 sq. m. deck with a 1,500-metric-ton deck load capacity, the vessel will feature extensive tank capacities to handle different types of fluids and bulk. The vessel has a DP2 system which relies on four generator sets, two Azimuth thrusters and two bow thrusters. The 14-knot, 16.2-m wide (molded) vessel will be LR-classified for worldwide deployment. The most remarkable feature includes the bulb-less axe bow as developed by Damen, and the bright red that CMM has selected for its corporate color.
Cat power was the choice for four ocean-going towing vessels designed by Ulstein Design and Solutions. Each vessel will have four 9 M 32 C propulsion engines, rated at 4,500 bkW at 600 rpm. Also onboard each vessel will be three Cat C32 auxiliary generator sets rated at 940 ekW at 1,800 rpm as well as one Cat C9 generator set to provide emergency power. All four vessels will be equipped with two AEM shaft generators rated at 3,150 ekW at 1,200 rpm. Each vessel has two Cat BCP1330F main propellers, two BTT625 tunnel thrusters and two BTT419 tunnel thrusters. The MaK and Cat power and propulsion solutions will be delivered over the course of the next year.
Designed to tow large structures such as offshore drilling rigs, Ulstein SX157 design vessels offer a 300-ton bollard pull and are capable of operating at full loads for 45 days without refueling. The vessels will be constructed at the Niigata Shipyard in Japan.
Atlantic Towing Limited (ATL) won a new 10-year firm contract, plus a total of 15 years of options at the charterers’ discretion, with ExxonMobil Canada Properties and Hibernia Management and Development Company Ltd. (HMDC) for four new state-of-the art Platform Supply Vessels operating out of St John’s, NL. The first ships for the contract will be delivered in 2016 and will join Atlantic Towing’s current fleet of eight offshore support vessels in Atlantic Canada. The new ships, to be designed and built by Damen Shipyards Group of the Netherlands, will deliver a number of environmental benefits including Clean Design designation with a diesel electric power plant, the latest environmental control equipment, wave piercing bow design, and enhanced crew comfort.
“This exceptional contract - the largest in our company’s history - will increase our fleet size, our workforce and our overall contribution to the economy in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Sean Leet,General Manager, Atlantic Towing. “We expect hiring of approximately 100 new positions, which will provide a great opportunity for local seafarers, to begin in December 2015.”

(As published in the August 2014 edition of Maritime Reporter & Engineering News - http://magazines.marinelink.com/Magazines/MaritimeReporter)