Olympic Octopus is classed as an anchor handling tug supply vessel of16,000 horsepower, with a 190 tons bollard pull. Power for propulsion is generated by two Bergen B32:40V12P main engines turning CP propellers in nozzles. Four thrusters are installed, three transverse tunnel thrusters and one azimuth swing up unit, all rated at 883 kW. One of the tunnel thrusters is the first application of the newly developed Rolls-Royce Rim Drive thruster technology. The ship meets IMO DP2 requirements for dynamic positioning and is the first to have the full Rolls-Royce DP2 system, working in conjunction with the latest advances in automation and control.

With an overall length of 78.3m and a beam of 17.2m, Olympic Octopus has a working deck area of 510m². All the normal cargoes can be carried and there is tank space for 1,000m3 of recovered oil from antipollution activities. The vessel can act in a safety standby role with a 280 person survivor capacity. For anchor handling and towing there is a two drum Rauma Brattvaag hydraulic main winch rated at 400 tons pull, and a 138 ton pull secondary winch.

An outstanding feature of this new anchor handler is the ‘Safe Deck’ handling equipment comprising two hydraulic cranes mounted on rails above the bulwarks, one on either side of the afterdeck. The cranes can be used to load and redistribute stores and cargo or, more importantly, to manipulate towing and anchor handling gear on the exposed deck adjacent to the stern roller. The latter, combined with the high protective bulwarks and cargo guards, makes the after deck a much safer place to work, particularly in bad weather.

Head of Olympic Shipping, Stig Remøy said, ‘ We chose the UT 712 L design because it is seen internationally as a solid workhorse that is attractive to charterers. At the same time the equipment package will meet the future needs of the North Sea oil and gas industry, which tends to set the standard for other parts of the world.

By JACK GASTON