VESSEL REVIEW | Armada 86 01 – Ocean Infinity’s new optionally crewed mothership for unmanned survey and inspection craft
Marine survey and exploration specialist Ocean Infinity has taken delivery of the first unit in a new series of six vessels ordered by the company from Norwegian shipbuilder Vard.
Armada 86 01 will support Ocean Infinity's operations in a wide range of sectors. The optionally crewed vessel can be operated from shore and will eventually utilise green ammonia as fuel following future upgrades.
The DP2 multi-role vessel has a steel hull, a length of 85 metres (280 feet), a beam of 16.4 metres (53.8 feet), a minimum draught of five metres (16 feet), a gross tonnage of 2,572, and an open aft deck with a total area of 750 square metres (8,100 square feet) and a payload capacity of 1,050 tons.
The hybrid propulsion setup has a total installed power of 7,000 kW and includes two Corvus Orca Energy 565kWh lithium-ion batteries and can deliver cruising speeds of between eight and 10 knots. The propulsion will also enable the vessel to stay out at sea for 21 to 35 days depending on the payload and operation.
Designed for worldwide remote operation
Armada 86 01 has been designed to deliver geophysical survey, geotechnical sampling and inspection, and maintenance and repair services. It is capable of supporting the operations of Ocean Infinity’s fleet of work-class remotely operated vehicles (WROVs) and autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), seabed drills, and CPT systems.
The vessel has a removable aft bulwark that will enable over-the-stern deployment of any craft from Ocean Infinity’s fleet of WROVs and AUVs. The two nine- by four-metre (30- by 13-foot) moonpools are each fitted with a modular launch and recovery system (LARS) that is fully automated and remotely operable from Ocean Infinity’s network of remote control centres (RCCs).
As with Ocean Infinity's other vessels, Armada 86 01 is connected to the RCC network with the company's proprietary remote communications system. The company said this ensures that its assets are secure and safe from cyber threats.
The vessel's electronics suite includes VHF, point-to-point and point-to-multipoint radios, satellite communications equipment, a Veripos survey positioning system, a Sonardyne inertial navigation system, and a 4G/LTE network setup.
Part of a growing mothership fleet
Accommodation is available for up to 16 crewmembers and payload personnel. Vard Interiors worked on the interior spaces, Vard Electro was responsible for the electrical systems’ installations, and Vard subsidiary Seaonics supplied the LARS.
The interior fixtures meanwhile include galley equipment from Beha Hedo, Allweiler pumps, Bohamet windows, Sperre compressors, and a Tyco fixed fire suppression system.
Armada 86 01 was built at Vard's Vung Tau facilities in Vietnam in compliance with DNV class rules including the “ammonia ready” notation. The vessel and her five sisters will be operated in conjunction with Ocean Infinity’s earlier fleet of 78-metre (260-foot) optionally crewed motherships, which were also built by Vard in Vietnam.
