Damen’s new fast crew supply vessel completes sea trials
The FCS 7011 has completed sea trials (Source: Damen)
Damen’s latest fast crew supplier, FCS 7011, has undergone successful sea trials off the coast of Turkey.
The 74m-long vessel, with the latest Ampelmann motion-compensated walk-to-work system, has capacity for 122 passengers and a speed of 40 knots.
Damen has consulted closely with customers and potential clients in the crew transfer sector, to design a vessel that can service a number of offshore installations during one voyage, thereby saving time, fuel and emissions. The Damen Sea Axe bow, accommodation just aft of amidships, and interceptors fitted within the vessel’s stern, all contribute to good seakeeping qualities on voyages that may take up to twelve hours. Clients in the North Sea, Gulf of Mexico, Brazil and West Africa regions have already shown interest in the new design, the company said, as an economic alternative to helicopter transport.
A key aspect of the FCS 7011 is the ability to transfer personnel safely in a wide range of sea states. In addition to the Ampelmann gangway, the ship is equipped with Kongsberg dynamic positioning, a VEEM gyrostabiliser, MTU main engines, Hamilton water jets, Danfoss shaft generators, Reintjes gearboxes and Veth bow thrusters.
