Damen moves into offshore wind farm sector
Marineco UK has named the first HSSV Marineco Shamal and it will operate under the British flag.
The Netherlands’ Damen Shipyards Group has announced the sale of its first ever Twin Axe Catamaran, the Damen High Speed Support Vessel (HSSV) 2610, which is particularly suited for the offshore wind industry.
The vessel will go to Edinburgh based Marineco UK, which has signed for the first of class vessel with an option for a second. The Scottish firm already has an extensive Damen fleet.
More than a year in development, the Twin Axe HSSV design is a further development of Damen’s highly successful Sea Axe concept.
Martijn Smit, Damen sales manager for Europe said, ‘Given the tremendous potential growth in the offshore wind industry there is a great need for vessels to access turbines and this can often be in constraining weather conditions. We were driven to find a concept that improves on conventional catamaran designs.”
The Damen HSSV 2610 has been undergoing thorough testing at Delft University in the Netherlands. ‘There have been stunning results in the vessel’s seakeeping behaviour, resistance and at the same time, it has much lower fuel consumption’, Mr Smit stressed.
This is an extension of the Damen enlarged ship concept, he added. ‘The raised work deck and sea axe bows enable the vessel to keep up its speed in a higher sea state and that is crucial for the offshore industry. And, as many of the wind turbines will be located in challenging seas, this greatly extends the operating window.’
The new vessel has accommodation for four crew and has a capacity for transporting 12 passengers. The HSSV has a large 20 t/m deck crane, a spacious diving platform, HP cleaning unit, and extra mooring winches. This makes the vessel suited for a diverse range of activities for supporting and supplying the offshore wind industry, as well as the wider offshore sector.
The HSSV 2610 has ample working and storage space on deck making it suitable for a variety of cargoes, including containers. With a fuel capacity of 12,000 litres, the new vessel can be used to transfer fuel to wind turbines. Classed by Bureau Veritas, the vessel operates under the Workboat Code, Category 1. Depending on the sea state, the maximum speed will be 26 knots, with a range of 640 nm.
Currently under construction at Damen Gorinchem, the vessel is expected to be ready by June 2011.
‘There is a great deal of interest in this development. The market has been looking for a vessel that can continue to operate in higher sea states, while at the same time offering lower fuel consumption. Now we have proven the concept in model tests and this vessel is a reality’, concluded Mr Smit.
Marineco UK has named the first HSSV Marineco Shamal and it will operate under the British flag.
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