Dutch vessel operator Windcat Offshore has placed an order for an offshore support vessel (OSV) belonging to a new series.
The contract also includes options for up to five additional vessels from the same series. Windcat said the vessels will each combine a large open deck and a subsea crane with fuel efficient operations and comfortable, high-quality accommodation for personnel working for extended periods in the offshore energy sector.
Windcat said the vessels will be based on an earlier design of commissioning service operation vessel but with slightly greater dimensions, specifically a 102-metre length and a 20-metre beam. As such, the newer OSVs will each offer increased deck space of 750 square metres, a subsea crane capacity of 150 tonnes, and the ability to launch and recover remotely operated vehicles.
Each OSV will feature a large 3,981kWh battery pack on a DC grid for low emissions performance. This will enable peak shaving, allowing the variable-speed main engines to operate at their most efficient working point, for example during DP operations, thereby reducing fuel consumption.
A dual-fuel hydrogen engine will make it possible to run the auxiliary generator on hydrogen.
The vessels will be equipped to accommodate up to 190 persons on board for at least 28 days’ endurance.
During offshore stays, personnel will safely and comfortably access offshore infrastructure via a motion-compensated gangway, which can also maintain a fixed connection with other structures.
The vessels will each be equipped with a DP2+ system. In addition to the azimuthing thrusters, a tunnel thruster fore and aft will be installed on each vessel, so that it can continue to operate on DP2 in the event of a thruster failure.