Milestone Multi Cat delivery for MCS

Damen’s build-for-stock and short delivery time methods was demonstrated with MCS Elly II being ordered on 28 April and delivered less than a month later on 27 May, a point made by Menno Kuyt, Managing Director of MCS: “This latest vessel fills a gap in our fleet, we were looking for a larger vessel, particularly with more crane capacity for dredging support work and Damen can make this happen very quickly!”

MCS own fourteen Damen vessels dating back nearly 40 years including delivery of an early Damen Stan Tug 1 and the former MCS Elly, a Dredgehelper 2510. The new vessel is scheduled to work on a major dredging project in the Middle East and having the option to build it close to the location resulted in savings in mobilisation costs had it been built for instance in Europe.

MCS’s requirement for a powerful vessel with shallow draught and substantial crane capacity were satisfied in this particular Multi Cat 3013. MCS Elly II meets the BV notation 1+Tug Unrestricted navigation – MACH, AUT-UMS as well as unrestricted service rules for the Dutch Shipping Inspectorate with basic functions listed as: anchor handling, dredger service, supply, towing, hose handling and survey.

Main dimensions are: LOA 30.14m, beam 12.5m, draught 2.6m and tank capacities including 208m3 fuel oil and 53.5m3 fresh water. Propulsion is via a triple-screw arrangement comprising three Caterpillar C32 TTA diesels developing a total of 2,124bkW (2,888bhp) at 1,600 rpm. Three Reintjes WAF 562 5.947:1 gearboxes drive Promarin fixed-pitch propellers in 1,700mm Optima nozzles, a Kalkman Beta 184kW (250hp) hydraulic bow thruster is also included.

Auxiliary machinery includes two Caterpillar C 04.4 107.5kW generator sets and a Caterpillar C32 TTA diesel developing 634kW at 1,800 rpm to satisfy the demands of the hydraulic equipment. Alfa Laval supplied a MIB 303 fuel separator. Performance figures are stated as 37.8tbp (average) and speed 10.6 knots.

A particularly comprehensive outfit of deck machinery is included and worthy of detailed examination. Kraaijeveld supply both the anchor-handling and towing winches: the former being a KA-30/2-H-TR model with 150t and 30t pulling force at 8m/min and 32m/min respectively and 170t brake capacity and 950m of 36mm or 200m of 54mm wire. The towing winch is a KA-20-H-TR model delivering 40t and 12t pulling power at 12m/min and 24m/min respectively and a brake holding force of 100t, drum capacity is 600m of 36mm wire.

Two substantial identical deck cranes are fitted fore and aft comprising Heila HLRM340/18-3SK models with lifting capacities of 33t at 9.4m and 13.5t at 18.5m. Other deck equipment includes two Mampaey 25t SWL pelican hooks, two Dromec tugger winches (12t at 4m/min) and a Ridderinkhof hydraulic anchor winch handling 275m of 19mm stud-link anchor chain and a single 360kg Pool TW (HHP) anchor. Barendrecht based WK Hydraulics supplied flipper towing pins (with chain stopper) forward.

While ideal for coastal and harbour work, MCS Elly II is also capable of sea-going duties and has comfortable accommodation for a crew of seven. Jos van Woerkum, Managing Director Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld, says: “We were pleased that we could build this vessel on the spot for MCS as it will be directly deployed in the region, saving the company mobilisation costs.”

MCS Elly II is the third Multi Cat 3013 to be delivered by Damen, the first two being the Odin and Nero delivered in 2010 and 2013 respectively to the Netherlands based ST Marine Support. Damen are building this variant for stock with one reported to be imminently available.

By Peter Barker