Category Archives: ULSTEIN
Rolls-Royce Secures Deck Machinery Contract for Tugs
Rolls-Royce has been awarded a £19m contract to deliver deck machinery for four ocean going tugs, designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions, for Dutch company ALP Maritime Services.
The vessels will be constructed in Japan by Niigata Shipbuilding & Repair.
The vessels are being developed for towing large structures like oil rigs and floating production units over long distances. The bollard pull for each of the four vessels will be 300 tons and they will be equipped for anchor handling.
John Knudsen, Rolls-Royce, President Offshore, said: “This project is a good example of how our solid industry know-how makes us a partner of choice for innovative ship owners and design teams. The new vessels will place ALP Maritime Services in the elite division for large offshore towing operations across the world.”
The deck machinery delivered from Rolls-Royce will include a complete low pressure winch solution and a stern roller. The towing/anchor handling winches are specially developed in cooperation with the ship designer and owner. The supply of rudder and steering gear is also included in the Rolls-Royce scope.
Intended for world-wide operations, the vessels will be delivered from Japan by Q1 2016. They will be of Ulstein design SX157, developed especially for this project.
Tore Ulstein, Ulstein Group, Deputy CEO, said: “This is a very important contract involving activities in a new market for us and with a new customer. The contract is a result of close cooperation with the shipyard, the ship owner and our partners in the Norwegian maritime cluster, a cooperation we will work to develop further in the years to come.”
Ulstein to Build Its Largest Offshore Construction Vessel Ever
Edison Chouest Offshore and Island Offshore are ordering two new OCV vessels through the company Island Ventures II LLC. One vessel will be built at Ulstein Verft, Norway, one in USA.
Ulstein Verft has been contracted to build a new offshore construction vessel of the ULSTEIN SX165 design. This will be the largest vessel built at the yard so far, as well as its largest single shipbuilding contract. The vessel is scheduled for delivery Q3 2015.
“We are very pleased to develop the next generation of offshore vessels together with Edison Chouest Offshore and Island Offshore. They are companies with solid and extensive experience. We have worked very well together on other innovative projects, and look forward to delivering a high-quality product that will serve the ship owners well for years to come,” says CEO Gunvor Ulstein, Ulstein Group.
“This is a demanding and challenging construction project, which suits us in every respect. We have a solid organisation that will carry out all the engineering work. Our group can offer world-class yard facilities and designs which attract attention from both crews and ship owners. We are ready, and looking forward to the assignment,” says Kristian Sætre, managing director, Ulstein Verft.
First ULSTEIN design in USA
Island Ventures II LLC has also ordered design and engineering packages for the construction of an ULSTEIN SX165 design vessel at Edison Chouest’s own yard in the United States. In addition, this agreement includes options. This will be the first ULSTEIN designed vessel to be constructed in the U.S.
“We look forward to adding these vessels to our fleet. The cooperation between our companies is excellent and we look forward to working with ULSTEIN on the construction of these multifunctional vessels,” says CEO Gary Chouest, Edison Chouest Offshore.
Island Offshore’s current fleet includes four vessels from ULSTEIN. In addition, a construction vessel for Island Ventures II LLC is currently under construction at Ulstein Verft for delivery in June 2014.
Facts about the vessels
The newly developed SX165 design has many qualities. The vessel is 28 metres wide and 145.7 metres long and can accommodate 200 people. She is equipped with two cranes that can lift 400 tons and 140 tons, respectively. She has a large moon pool measuring 11.2 by 12 metres plus two smaller moon pools with ROVs installed in a centrally located hangar. The vessel has a total of three separate engine rooms to provide extreme operational reliability: if a major error occurs and one of the engine rooms goes out of service, the ship will still have two-thirds of her operational capacity.
Health, safety and the environment have been fully considered in the development of this design. For example, the vessel will be delivered in accordance with the international regulation MLC2006 that sets out the comfort and safety requirements for the crew. The ship has four lifeboats, two on each side. In addition, the vessel is equipped with SCR catalyst system for NOx emission reduction.
Press Release, October 25, 2013
VIDEO: Ulstein, NOV Present Next Generation Offshore Vessel
In the following video, National Oilwell Varco (NOV) and ULSTEIN present what they describe as the “next generation of modern offshore vessels.”
According to the caption of the video published on Ulstein’s YouTube channel “this is the standard for future offshore construction.”
The vessel platform used is the ULSTEIN designed Deepwater Enabler.
The 160.0 m long Deepwater enabler is a Multi-purpose Offshore construction vessel of a highly flexible design that can, according to Ulstein, be customized to meet client’s specifications and requirements.
The construction vessel is designed for various offshore operations. With a simplistic customization process it can be used to install and maintain offshore wind turbines, as well as for flex-lay, well intervention and slim hole drilling operations for the offshore oil and gas industry.
If February this year, Toisa placed an order for a construction vessel of the Deepwater Enabler design. The vessel will be built by South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries.
See the video below:
Ulstein Presents Benefits of Its SX121 Design
Advancement in technology is permitting the offshore oil and gas industry to move into progressively deeper and colder waters in remote locations. ULSTEIN supports this development by providing products and solutions that contribute to safer, smarter and greener operations.
A case in point is the versatile and flexible OCV/subsea vessel design SX121, which ULSTEIN is currently building customized versions of for GC Rieber Shipping and Island Offshore. The design can be tailored for a multitude of offshore construction and subsea operations in deep and ultra-deep waters both below and above the Arctic Circle.
Deepwater and ultra-deepwater projects occur outside of the continental shelf at water depths between 400 and 1,500 metres and depths greater than 1,500 metres respectively. Deep waters mean remote locations, harsh weather conditions and sensitive ecosystems. This type of environment requires vessels that are reliable and safe, cost-efficient and environmentally sound.
“We aim to develop ships that can operate reliably, safely and efficiently in harsh conditions with as small an environmental footprint as possible. The robust configuration, system integration and X-BOW® hull line of the SX121 ensure safety and comfort for the crew, an increased operational window and significantly reduced environmental impact,” says sales manager in Ulstein Design & Solutions, Lars Ståle Skoge.
Currently, there are four sailing SX121 vessels designed and built by ULSTEIN. The vessels, which operate in different segments such as offshore construction, riserless well intervention and inspection/maintenance/repair, have received very good feedback.
Gordon L. Wilkinson in Veolia ES said the following about ‘Viking Poseidon’’s work in the Gulf of Mexico: “She is the Queen of the Gulf.”
At the end of 2012 shipowner Island Offshore, together with their American partner Edison Chouest Offshore, ordered another SX121 vessel from ULSTEIN currently under construction at Ulstein Verft. “We’ve received very good feedback on our two operating vessels of this design, ‘Island Constructor’ and ‘Island Intervention’,” says Technical Manager in Island Offshore, Trond Hauge. “I’m confident that this type of vessel is a safe and comfortable platform for the performance of advanced work in the years to come.”
Optimized for heavier installations
“The SX121 is a compact vessel that can perform deepwater and ultra-deepwater operations for which currently larger vessels are frequently used, thus providing the customer with a more cost-efficient solution,” says Håvard Stave, Sales Manager in Ulstein Verft.
“The typical SX121 vessel operates at depths down to 3,000 metres, which comprises most current oil & gas activities. The need to deploy heavier equipment in deep waters such as offshore Brazil and Africa and in the Gulf of Mexico, has spurred market interest in OCV vessels with a 400-tonne crane, which we’ve now incorporated in the SX121 design.”
ULSTEIN has drawn on experiences from its latest SX121 projects, and optimized the utilization of the hull with regards to work from deck as well as crane construction work, resulting in an even more versatile OCV/subsea vessel.
The robust platform is optimized for efficient operations in deep waters with a crane capacity of up to 400 tonnes and a substantial remaining deck loading capacity, and it can be configured for a variety of mission equipment. There is a large deck area of 1,750 m2, and the area around the main moon pool is reinforced in order to sustain a VLS or module handling system. The ROV installation is designed and chosen for operations in significant wave heights of 4.5 metres or more. Two heavy-duty work ROVs are situated in the enclosed hangar, one to be deployed from the starboard side, the other through a dedicated moon pool.
Extended redundancy
A reliable vessel is key for cost-efficiency, as down-time and aborting on-going operations are costly affairs, particularly when operating far from shore.
The SX121 vessel meets the highest standard for position keeping, DYNPOS-AUTRO, with redundancy on all major components. Featuring the ‘Operation+’ concept, an increase in redundancy in AUTR operations if a single major failure occurs, the vessel will still maintain system redundancy throughout the most critical areas. The typical configuration is diesel electric propulsion powered by six identical medium speed main generator sets. The switchboard system, propellers and diesel motors can be configured in groups of two, three or four. If a major failure occurs, the vessel will only lose one third of its power and propulsion. The combination of system architecture and power stations, three side thrusters and three main thrusters, ensures that the operation can be safely completed using two thirds of its capacity.
Smart and safe
In order to optimize capacities and performance of the vessel, the freeboard has been increased by one metre compared with the previously built vessels of this design. This increase also improves safety and ensures a dry work deck. In addition, the helideck has been moved further back in order to increase the weather window for helicopter landings.
The vessel’s X-BOW provides good motion characteristics for safe operations. It also reduces the vessel’s environmental footprint through lower fuel consumption and reduced emissions. With optimized resolution of the power generation plant, the vessel will have high fuel efficiency in all operational modes.
The vessel accommodates a crew of 130 and complies with all international requirements for comfort and safety.
VIDEO: Vigor Offshore Patrol Cutter Featuring Ulstein X-BOW
In response to the U.S. Coast Guard’s demanding Offshore Patrol Cutter requirements, Vigor Industrial looked beyond the conventional. With the Ulstein X-BOW®, Vigor delivers unmatched seakeeping and endurance in a capable offshore workhorse.
Shipbuilding Tribune – VIDEO: Vigor Offshore Patrol Cutter Featuring Ulstein X-BOW.
- Ulstein Bridge Vision Best Business Idea in West Norway (VIDEO) (worldmaritimenews.com)
- PHOTO UPDATE: Coast Guard cutter returns to homeport following $55 million drug bust (uscgnews.com)
- Coast Guard rescue crews respond to boat fire with 8 people aboard offshore Nantucket, Mass. (video available) (uscgnews.com)
- Bourbon Offshore Norway Receives New Ulstein Design PSV (worldmaritimenews.com)
IMR vessel Seven Viking from ULSTEIN
The cutting edge Seven Viking vessel, designed for operations in the harshest environments is being unveiled and named at a ceremony in Stavanger, Norway, by Subsea 7, Eidesvik Offshore and Ulstein today, 30 January 2013.
The next generation Inspection, Maintenance and Repair (IMR) vessel, the Seven Viking, is co-owned by Subsea 7 and Eidesvik and has been constructed in partnership with Ulstein.
The ICE-C class vessel with a crew capacity of 90 and a top speed of 17 knots, will work for Statoil on a five year contract. It has been custom-built according to the operator’s specifications to carry out tasks including inspection, maintenance and repair of subsea installations in addition to scale treatment and RFO work scopes (Ready For Operations).
The vessel Godmother is to be Christine Sagen Helgø, the Mayor of Stavanger.
Subsea 7 Vice President for Norway Stuart Fitzgerald said: “The collective effort, and strong cooperation, between Ulstein, Eidesvik and Subsea 7, has resulted in the Seven Viking. The Seven Viking represents another class leading asset in the Subsea 7 fleet and captures Subsea 7’s unparalleled experience with IMR operations in harsh environments. The design and build of this state of the art vessel would not have been possible without the expertise and dedication of many people within both Subsea 7 and our project partners, and we take pride in their achievement. We look forward to many years of safe and efficient operations with Seven Viking for our Customer, Statoil.”
Jan Fredrik Meling, CEO Eidesvik Offshore said, “We in Eidesvik are very satisfied with the close and constructive cooperation with Subsea 7. The relationship between our companies has developed over many years and has enabled us, together with Ulstein, to launch this outstanding vessel.”
Gunvor Ulstein, Ulstein Group CEO said, “Ulstein is proud to deliver a vessel of unmatched technical and operational capacity in its sector, and I am confident that the Seven Viking will meet Statoil’s expectations.”
The Seven Viking incorporates the X-BOW® hull line design to reduce motion in transit and gives increased stability in the potentially high waves that characterise the North Sea. Despite this enviable stability usually associated with size, this version of the Ulstein SX148 design has been crafted to be compact in stature – measuring only 106.5 metres long and 24.5 metres wide. The dimensions will allow the Seven Viking to manoeuvre with ease in confined spaces, such as between platforms, accessing difficult to reach areas.
Thanks to a clever configuration whereby hull space is maximised and equipment is integrated within a large hangar area, the Seven Viking and its crew have the ability to carry all necessary maintenance equipment on board, ensuring that operational downtime is kept to a minimum.
Safety, efficiency and environmental considerations have been the prime focus for the three partners when developing the Seven Viking, which carries the Clean Design notation.
A customised module handling system (MHS) has been integrated in the ship’s hangar for the safe launch and retrieval of subsea modules weighing up to 70 tons through the moon pool.
To facilitate cooperation and communication, all operational personnel are gathered in one area adjacent to the hangar, with panoramic windows in the control room giving a full overview of this key activity area. The Seven Viking has been developed to meet the highest working environment standards, and is classified as a comfort class COMF-V (3) vessel. Minimal noise levels in the hangar have been achieved by opting for electric winches for the ROVs, the MHS and other utility equipment.
Notable environmental initiatives include diesel electric propulsion, which reduces atmospheric emissions, and the electrical winches which nullify the risk of emissions of hydraulic oil.
Norway: Ulstein Verft Launches IMR Vessel ‘Seven Viking’
The IMR vessel ‘Seven Viking’, that will be co-owned by Eidesvik Offshore and Subsea 7, was launched from the dock hall at Ulstein Verft on Wednesday 17 October.
In her right element, the compact 106.5 m long and 24.5 m wide vessel looks very impressive.
The SX148 design will carry out a multitude of diverse tasks for Statoil, including inspection, maintenance and repair of subsea oil installations, alongside scale treatment and RFO operations. The top speed is 16 knots. The ship has a crew capacity of 90, and capacity to carry a litany of essential subsea tools, thanks to a clever configuration whereby hull space is maximised and equipment is integrated within the large hangar area.
HSE has been a major focus for the project partners, this includes a customized module handling system (MHS) integrated in the ship’s hangar for the safe launch and retrieval of subsea modules weighing up to 70 tons.
All operational personnel are gathered in one area directly above the hangar, with panoramic windows in the control room giving a full overview of this key activity area. Also, the ship has been developed to meet the highest working environment standards. She is a comfort class COMF-V (3) vessel, with low noise and vibration levels. The ship also carries the Clean Design notation.
Environmental initiatives have been taken, including the diesel electric propulsion, which reduces atmospheric emissions, while the ship’s electrical winches mean there will be absolutely zero emissions of hydraulic oil.
World Maritime News – Norway: Ulstein Verft Launches IMR Vessel ‘Seven Viking’.
Norway: Vestnes FMT Secures Another Contract from Ulstein
Vestnes FMT has received a contract for 4 newbuildings from Ulstein Verft in Ulsteinvik. Newbuildings 296, 297, 298 and 299, being built for Blue Ship Invest, will be equipped with state-of-the-art “Willy” furniture packages.
These four newbuildings are medium-sized platform supply vessels (PSV) of PX121 design and are scheduled for delivery from Ulstein Verft in 2013.
Vestnes Ocean is a turn key supplier of accommodation solutions for the maritime industry. The company has developed its own concept of ship furniture named “Willy”, especially made for the life onboard, together with the designers Ralston & Bau.
Shipbuilding Tribune – Norway: Vestnes FMT Secures Another Contract from Ulstein.
- ULSTEIN delivers second PX121 to Blue Ship Invest (maritime-executive.com)
- Norway: Ulstein Delivers PSV ‘Blue Prosper’ (worldmaritimenews.com)
- Norway: Ulstein Verft Conducts Maintenance Work on ‘Island Vanguard’ (worldmaritimenews.com)
- Norway: Ulstein Secures 12 PSV Designs Order (worldmaritimenews.com)
Continents of the World
Mb50's "Liquid Mud" Rant 