French offshore vessel operator Bourbon recently took delivery of six new crewboats in a series built by Piriou at its Vietnam facilities.
Two of the vessels are already supporting Bourbon's activities off West Africa, particularly off Congo-Brazzaville, while the other four are being operated by Bourbon Interoil Nigeria in the Gulf of Guinea. The owner said all six vessels were delivered one month ahead of schedule.
The crewboats were designed by French naval architecture firm Mauric. Each one measures 27 metres (89 feet) by six metres (20 feet) and offers approximately 60 square metres (650 square feet) of total open deck space forward and aft for equipment, spare parts and supplies. The vessels’ size enables them to safely manoeuvre near offshore platforms as well as navigate within busy port waters.
The vessels are powered by MAN engines that can deliver a top speed of 30 knots, allowing for fast transits.
The vessels come in different configurations and can carry between 50 and 70 technicians. USB charging ports have also been incorporated in the passenger seats, which have been configured to ensure comfort even during fast transits in rough offshore waters. Transfers are conducted via a dedicated boat landing at the bow.
The electronics include Furuno radars, displays, Sailor satellite communications gear, and onboard systems that will enable real-time monitoring and analysis of the crewboats' various operating parameters. This will then allow crews to manage the vessels’ energy consumption more effectively, thereby maximising fuel availability.
Each crewboat also boasts secondary external firefighting capability thanks to an FFS monitor installed just aft of the wheelhouse. The wheelhouse itself meanwhile offers enhanced all-round visibility so that the bridge crew can directly oversee transfers and ensure the safety of personnel.
The electronics and other onboard systems on each crewboat draw power from a John Deere generator.
| Surfer 2702 & Surfer 2706 | |
|---|---|
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Type of vessel: | Crewboats |
| Flag: | Nigeria; Panama |
| Owner: | Bourbon Offshore, France |
| Designer: | Mauric, France |
| Builder: | Piriou Vietnam |
| Length overall: | 27 metres (89 feet) |
| Beam: | 6.0 metres (20 feet) |
| Capacity: | 60 square metres (650 square feet) |
| Main engines: | 2 x MAN |
| Generator: | John Deere |
| Radars: | 2 x Furuno |
| Satcom: | Sailor |
| Firefighting equipment: | FFS monitor |
| Passengers: | 50 |
| Operational areas: | Nigeria; Congo-Brazzaville |