Briggs Marine has taken delivery of a multi-purpose maintenance support vessel in what is being described as a ‘major achievement’ by the family-owned company, whose customers include the UK government and port and harbour authorities.
Forth Constructor, built in Spain by Freire Shipyard, was designed to Briggs’ own specification by another Spanish company, Cintranaval Ship Design, and joins the owner’s fleet of around 30 vessels operating in the coastal, nearshore, offshore and subsea sectors.
Briggs provides a range of services across the maritime support sector. Its primary will be servicing heavy moorings and navigation marks, but it is extensively equipped for a range of offshore support tasks including diving, ROV operations, seabed investigation, survey, offshore wind support and inshore shallow-draught cable-laying operations.
Extensive specification
The indicative basic specification of the LR-classed vessel may hint at a modest-sized workboat comprising conventional arrangement of accommodation-forward and sheltered working deck aft, but when examined in detail a vessel with extensive capabilities is revealed.
The basic numbers include: 39.99m length, 12.4m breadth, 2.5m operational draught, 875t displacement and 636GT.
With an eye on efficiency and future sustainability, Forth Constructor has a diesel-electric propulsion arrangement linked to a Kongsberg DP2 system and with the emergence of future technologies, offers drop-in battery capacity alongside traditional fuels.
Scania provides four D16 480kW main generators, while Rotterdam-based Hydromaster Propulsion BV supplies two 640kW, Series 6 azimuth thrusters and two 315kW, Series 4 bow thrusters. The vessel has 22tbp and a speed of 11knots.
It is when deck layout and working equipment details are examined that an indication of Forth Constructor’s multipurpose capabilities are revealed. The working deck area covers 180m2 with a maximum deck loading of 5t/m2 and deck cargo capacity of 75t.
Deck equipment includes a Ferri active heave-compensated crane (8t@13m), the Spanish equipment supplier also providing two 40t anchor winches, two 10t windlasses and two 40t tow pins and forks.
A 1.2m square moonpool is included along with four-point mooring system and diver and ROV LARS installation fittings. Also supplied is a demountable crew transfer vessel boarding ladder and demountable 20t A-frame.
Particular attention is paid to crew safety and comfort for continued service in arduous conditions when required, including comfortable accommodation for six crew and 10 project personnel.
“Crew comfort has been prioritised with well-appointed ensuite cabins for crew members, and the builder has paid particular attention to minimising noise and vibration levels throughout the vessel,” says Briggs.
Flexibility
Expanding further on Forth Constructor’s anticipated roles aimed at ‘a diverse range of clients’, Briggs says the vessel is optimally configured to support its contracts with UK government, offshore wind farms and commercial ports, including inspection, servicing and replacement of aids to navigation and heavy inshore moorings in the UK and overseas.
With ‘maximum flexibility’ to support other tasks, the vessel can undertake ROV deployment, survey duties including geotechnical sampling, benthic surveys, diving, subsea investigation and seabed preparation tasks.
“Partnering with Freire Shipyard has seen Briggs’ concept developed effectively,” says Iain Ross, director of port and marine at Briggs. “They have not only provided the technical aspects of construction, but have also brought innovative solutions to the project.
“Their comprehensive approach has been crucial in achieving the project’s milestones, and we look forward to bringing our new vessel into service and to working with Freire in the future. We are also pleased to continue our positive relationship with Lombard for financing arrangements on this project.”
On behalf of Forth Constructor’s builder, Guillermo Freire, CEO at Freire Shipyard, said: “We are proud to have delivered MV Forth Constructor and are delighted that it has performed well on trials, demonstrating its versatility and impressive manoeuvrability. This project marks an advancement in our capability to deliver innovative technical solutions globally.”
