Bibby Marine Services orders first-ever Damen Service Operations Vessel
On 15 January, Bibby Marine Services Limited, part of Bibby Line Group, signed a contract with the Damen Shipyards Group for delivery of its first Service Operations Vessel (SOV) with walk-to-work access. The vessel, Bibby WaveMaster 1, will undertake offshore wind project work in the North Sea. It is the first vessel purpose-built for the transfer and accommodation of offshore personnel and aims to maximise working time and staff retention. The design guarantees fast, safe and comfortable access to turbines, at lower cost, up to 80% of the time, including in worst case scenario Central North Sea conditions, resulting in a vessel capable of providing access up to 3.1 metre Hs.
In line with wind farms being constructed farther from shore, the SOV with walk-to-work access is able to remain at sea for periods up to one month. Accommodation is provided on board for up to 45 turbine maintenance personnel and 15 crew members.
The aft ship has been adapted specifically to the tasks that the vessel is designed for, including stern to waves operations. The most pronounced features that have been included are the strong V-shape in the frames in the aft ship to reduce the slamming occurrence and loads and the concentration of volume in the mid-ship region to achieve a slender aft ship. Both features should make stern to weather operations more comfortable than on a common PSV design.
Comfort onboard stems also from ergonomic design application, which sees interior spaces grouped together into similar task areas. This not only separates ‘clean’ and ‘dirty’ tasks, but ensures short lines of communication and smooth workflow. The accommodation has been placed midships for additional comfort – the location reducing vertical acceleration by as much as 15%.
Efficiency is another key feature. The design includes a diesel-electric main propulsion system, which powers twin azimuth thrusters. Thanks to careful development, the vessel requires less installed power than a conventional PSV. This results from two factors – a symmetrical wind profile and use of a four split main switchboard.
A high-performance, motion-compensated access gangway and active heave compensated crane are located to port side, close to the centre of gravity. The management systems of both features are aligned with the vessel’s DP system.
The DP capabilities have already been proven, with a first-of-its-kind scale model test at the Netherlands-based leading research institute, MARIN. During these tests, the scale model of the vessel was pitted against North Sea wind, wave, swell and current simulations.
The target was a 30-minute cycle, during which the vessel deploys the gangway and then transits in AutoTrack mode, several hundred metres, at speeds up to and beyond 6 knots to the following turbine without having to wait for an ideal weather window or having to rebuild the DP model at every turbine.
The vessel will be used by Bibby Marine Services to serve the offshore wind industry although the design can just as easily be applied to the offshore oil and gas sectors.
A host of options are available for the vessel, including an additional deck crane with up to 24 tonnes capability, tanks arrangements suited to liquids such as glycols, tanks suited to low flashpoint liquids with separate delivery intakes and facilities for dive support and ROV operations.
Damen Shipyards Group
Damen Shipyards Group operates 32 shipbuilding and repair yards, employing 9,000 people worldwide. Damen has delivered more than 5,000 vessels in more than 100 countries and delivers some 160 vessels annually to customers worldwide. Based on its unique, standardised ship-design concept Damen is able to guarantee consistent quality.
Damen’s focus on standardisation, modular construction and keeping vessels in stock leads to short delivery times, low ‘total cost of ownership’, high resale values and reliable performance. Furthermore, Damen vessels are based on thorough R&D and proven technology.
Damen offers a wide range of products, including tugs, workboats, naval and patrol vessels, high speed craft, cargo vessels, dredgers, vessels for the offshore industry, ferries, pontoons and superyachts.
For nearly all vessel types Damen offers a broad range of services, including maintenance, spare parts delivery, training and the transfer of (shipbuilding) know-how. Damen also offers a variety of marine components, such as nozzles, rudders, anchors, anchor chains and steel works.
In addition to ship design and shipbuilding, Damen Shiprepair & Conversion has a worldwide network of 15 repair and conversion yards with dry docks ranging up to 420 x 80 metres. Conversion projects range from adapting vessels to today’s requirements and regulations to the complete conversion of large offshore structures. DSC completes around 1,500 repair and maintenance jobs annually.
Bibby Marine Services Limited
Bibby Marine Services Limited is a wholly owned subsidiary of Bibby Line Group Limited and has the express aim of serving the marine needs of the offshore renewables market.
Bibby WaveMaster 1 is the first vessel to be commissioned by Bibby Marine Services Limited. Its key features are:
• Offshore transfers for special personnel and equipment by means of a motion compensated access system and heave compensated offshore rated knuckle boom crane on a stable DP-2 vessel platform
• 90m LOA
• Comfort Class 2 accommodation - 60 individual ensuite berths
• Helipad
• Class-leading leisure facilities
• Daughter craft and CTV landings
Bibby Line Group
Bibby Line Group is a diverse and forward-looking family business with over 200 years’ experience of providing personal, responsive and flexible customer solutions. It is one of the longest established family-owned companies in the UK. From its roots in shipping Bibby has grown into an £1.7bn business, operating in more than 20 countries, employing 6,500 people in industries including retail, offshore, finance, distribution, shipping, marine based businesses, plant hire and woodland burials. Since 2007, Bibby employees have donated over £8.4 million to over 1,000 charitable causes.
