Versatile Voe Earl sails into service from Hardinxveld

Its main areas of operation are along the UK coast, Scandinavia, the Baltic States, the Caspian Sea and the Mediterranean. The company’s vessels are all specially designed for coastal construction, anchor handling and towing contracts being powerful yet shallow drafted for inshore operations. The company has also specialises in servicing the offshore wind farm industry and in the emerging wave and tidal power energy installation markets.

Having worked in the burgeoning marine renewable sector since before its recent major scaling up, Delta Marine has been able to forecast the demand for specific support craft and approached Damen Shipyards for the second of its new design MuC2611s, the Voe Viking. That vessel proved such a success that Delta purchased the Voe Jarl, with major design modifications.

In late 2010, impressed by Damen’s build quality and after sales provision, Delta decided on another newbuild from the Dutch company and determined to push further within the constraints of the 200grt range.

The resulting vessel, Voe Earl, completed sea trials in Rotterdam Europort earlier this month. The completely new model 2613, delivered by the Damen shipyard at Hardinxleld – Giessendam, started with a hull built in Poland and towed to the Netherlands by tug last September. It has been designed to provide as much versatility as Delta felt could be fitted into a vessel of its size.

Voe Earl is classed by Bureau Veritas I HULL • MACH Tug unrestricted navigation • AUT UMS, MCA Workboat Class 1.s

Measuring 26.37m LOA, with a beam of 13.59m and a draft of 3.71m, Voe Earl is powered by twin Caterpillar 3512B TA main engines delivering a total of 2,850 bkW at 1,600 rpm. These drive 2,400mm diameter Promarin fixed pitch propellers in Optima nozzles through Reintjes WAF 773, 7.087:1 gearboxes to 54 tons bollard pull during trials and a speed of 10.6 knots.

The 54 tons bollard pull allows Delta Marine to tow the jack-ups commonly used for erecting offshore wind turbines and then perform anchor handling chores once on site. The vessel’s large deck space allows for cable laying capacity in excess of 1,000m. Tensioners, ROV spread, and other equipment can be accommodated in a cost effective package. Anchors can also be stowed onboard, whilst still leaving the aft deck clear for towing. Large bunker capacities of 120 m3 fuel and 51 m3 water allow for the servicing of jack-ups with both fuel and fresh water.

The 54 tons bollard pull also allows the Voe Earl to tow out large pull wires through shallow water to their full extent of 1,000m when assisting cable lay barges. The 35 tons  astern bollard pull is useful for manoeuvring barges around often congested offshore wind farm sites.

A four point mooring system (400 m2 minimal footprint) with DP system provides for two ways to hold station during tidal or wave power installations. A hydraulic pop-up system (triplex) more commonly used on larger anchor handlers has been installed to provide more safety for crew and speed anchor handling operations.

Deck equipment includes two very powerful Effer 200000-4S deck cranes and an equally massive Ridderinkhof double drum ‘waterfall’ anchor handling/towing winch. There are triple WK Hydraulics towing pins aft, Triplex shark jaws, a 45 ton Mampaey towing hook, four De Graaf SR100 10 ton tugger winches, and a WK Hydraulics capstan. Stern rollers fore and aft are accompanied by asymmetrically opening bow doors to keep wash from the deck when running in open waters.

There is heated and air conditioned accommodation for eight people in four double cabins, allowing for a normal crew of six plus two more in a dedicated client cabin, as well as the usual galley, mess and sanitary facilities.

Delta Marine’s Bob Spanswick told MJ that Voe Earl was likely to be working its first job, on a marine renewable energy project in UK waters, by the time this issue was published.