VESSEL REVIEW | Rawabi 73 – AHTS with 120-tonne bollard pull optimised for Persian Gulf operations

Rawabi 73, an anchor handling tug supply vessel, was built in Dubai by Premier Marine Shipyards for Rawabi Vallianz Offshore Services (RVOS).

Construction began with steel cutting on September 13, 2023, followed by keel laying on October 20 that year. RVOS will operate the vessel from Saudi Arabia.

The ship was ordered through Vallianz Shipbuilding and Engineering, a wholly owned subsidiary of Singapore-listed Vallianz Holdings, which contracted the build on behalf of RVOS. RVOS itself brings Vallianz and Rawabi Energy together in a joint venture; Rawabi Energy is a subsidiary of Saudi Arabia's Rawabi Holding Group, and RVOS operates a fleet of offshore support vessels in the Middle East.

According to Premier Marine, Rawabi 73 is the yard's most advanced vessel for offshore support so far.

Durable multi-role platform built for Middle East conditions

As reported at the float-out, the vessel has a bollard pull of 120 tonnes and accommodation for 50 personnel, covering both the marine crew and offshore workers on extended assignments. It is classed by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and flies the flag of Tuvalu.

The class record lists a length overall of 70 metres (230 feet), a moulded breadth of 17.2 metres (56.4 feet), a moulded depth of 7.5 metres (25 feet) and a length between perpendiculars of 61.2 metres (201 feet). Registered gross and net tonnages are 3,136 and 941 respectively, while deadweight is 1,885.08 and displacement is 4,796.33 tonnes.

Premier Marine and Vallianz have positioned the vessel as a multi-role unit rather than a dedicated anchor handler. The vessel is also intended for firefighting, marine rescue, standby safety and subsea support, with a stated remit that extends from oil and gas exploration to renewable energy work.

"The vessel has been purpose-built to meet the complex and evolving demands of offshore operations, from oil and gas exploration to renewable energy support," Hemant Tandon, Managing Director of Premier Marine Shipyards, said at the launch.

Significant liquid tank capacities to suit various roles

The ABS class record gives Rawabi 73 the notation ✠A1, Offshore Support Vessel (AH, FFV 1, Supply-CHEM, TOW), Ⓔ, ✠AMS, ✠ACC and ✠DPS-2, confirming DP2 capability and a Fire Fighting Vessel 1 notation.

Additional notations include BP (120.3 MT), ENVIRO, IDM-A and SMART (INF, MHM, SHM), while the vessel is classed for unrestricted service.

Capacities include 1,152.2 cubic metres (253,450 gallons) of ballast water, 608.2 cubic metres (133,800 gallons) of cargo oil, 602.4 cubic metres (132,500 gallons) of other cargo-tank capacity, 544 cubic metres (120,000 gallons) of freshwater and 237.8 cubic metres (52,310 gallons) of fuel oil.

For Vallianz, the vessel adds a Persian Gulf-built asset to a fleet otherwise assembled largely from Asian yards, including its own facility in Batam, Indonesia.