Details of new offshore accommodation vessel released, first contract
Illustration of the new offshore multipurpose accommodation vessel
(Source: Damen)
Netherlands-based Windcat, a subsidiary of CMB.TECH, has ordered the first of what could become six new multipurpose accommodation support vessels (MP-ASVs) from Damen Shipyards Group.
The ‘Innovation Series’, as the ships will be known, combine the benefits of a large open deck with a subsea crane, fuel efficiency, and high-quality accommodation for offshore personnel working on energy projects for extended periods, the company claims. The vessels will have capacity for 190 persons on board for a period of up to 28 days.
A development of the earlier ‘Elevation Series’ of commissioning service operation vessels, the MP-ASVs will be larger, with a length of 102m, a breadth of 20m, and total deck space of 750m2. There is a helideck up front and a 500-m2 sheltered deck in the warehouse. A 150-tonne subsea crane will enable the launch and recovery of remotely operated vehicles.
The DP2+ Innovation Series will have large 3,981-kWh battery packs on a DC grid, enabling peak-shaving and ensuring that the variable-speed main engines operate with the highest efficiency during dynamic positioning (DP) operations.
The vessels will have tunnel thrusters fore and aft to ensure a degree of redundancy and uninterrupted operation in DP mode in the event of a thruster failure. As in the earlier vessels, they will also use low-carbon fuels with a dual-fuel hydrogen engine for auxiliary genset operation.
Windcat managing director, Willem van der Wel, commented: “Today we introduce a new vessel type, not only to our fleet, but also to the market. We take the best of two worlds: we combine the benefits of a large deck and crane of an MPSV with the comfortable offshore accommodation of an ASV … By building this new type of vessel, with an emphasis on comfort, performance and decarbonisation, we are ensuring that we can continue to safely and effectively support tomorrow's offshore projects around the world.”
Construction of the first vessel will begin at Damen’s Ha Long Shipyard, Vietnam, in February with delivery expected in 2028.
Windcat is a subsidiary of CMB.TECH.
