Mounted onboard the GDF Suez E&P Nederland chartered multi-purpose supply vessel REM Mermaid, Offshore Solutions BV’s offshore access system has notched up over 1000 operational connections without any lost time incidents. The OAS, a heave compensated telescopic gangway enabling the safe transfer of personnel from a vessel to an offshore installation, is designed to operate in 2.5m Hs sea states (OE August 2008).
Weighing around 24t, the OAS has transferred more than 9000 personnel in the last year, working in the Dutch sector of the Southern North Sea.
OSBV general manager Ian Sadler described the recent milestone as a further major achievement for his company. ‘To accomplish this without any LTIs consistently proves that our step-changing technology continues to be one of the safest and most efficient options for accessing offshore installations.’
The OAS is now wholly established within the Southern North Sea and is reported to be continuing to improve manpower productivity and safety on both manned and unmanned installations. This third SNS OAS has been in continual use on the DP2 REM Mermaid since February last year.
