High activity levels in the North Sea are making an attractive market for Damen Shipyards. Last year, its biggest newbuild market was in tugs and work boats, with 80 delivered. Now, the firm has turned its attention to oil and gas industry support vessels with its new Damen Offshore Series. Arnaut Damen, chief operating officer, says there is demand in the platform supply vessel (PSV), anchor handling (AHTS), ROV/diving support, and subsea construction vessel markets.
Nor-Ocean Offshore highlighted demand for PSVs in a June report. It posted 17 additions to the North Sea PSV fleet in 1H 2013, with the total market standing at 232 vessels (an 8% rise yearon- year). Term fleet stands at 195 vessels (up 8%), while the spot fleet added two, taking it to 37 vessels (up 6%).
For the week ending June 14, average rates for cargo runs were more than £20,800, above rates seen in 2011 and 2012. Operators chartered AHTS for cargo runs, due to limited PSV availability. Utilization rates for large PSVs were 93% for June.
Damen recently introduced its PSV 3300, one of the Damen Offshore Series, to the market. The first of six new PSV 3300s on order, World Diamond was delivered from Damen Shipyards Galati, Romania, in June.
The vessel is now on the spot North Sea market, and is operated by Remøy Management for owner World Wide Shipping. A second vessel will also go on the spot market. The remaining four, also under construction at the Galati yard, have been contracted for charter off Brazil.
The PSV 3300 has a slim bow, based on computational fluid dynamics studies and tests at the Maritime Research Institute Netherlands, with diesel electric propulsion and (DP2) azimuth stern drives to minimize slamming, and balance a relatively high cargo intake with low fuel consumption.
The 80.1m-long vessel has a 6.15m draught and deadweight of 3300-tonne, with a maximum weight on deck of 400- tonne. Maximum speed is 13.7 knots. The vessel has new anti-roll tanks and increased deck space, 728sq m, a 10% increase over the previous design. It can transport crew and materials, is fitted with firefighting and oil pollution recovery capability, and can carry ISO containers on deck. It has accommodation for 16 crew members, plus six passengers.
Damen’s other Offshore Series vessels include an X-bow-style anchor handler, the Damen AHTS 200, capable of working in 3000m deep water. Others are a construction support vessel, well stimulation vessel, fast crew suppliers, the Damen Offshore Carrier: a 7500 deadweight tonnage multipurpose vessel with heavylift, an offshore heavylift vessel, and an oil spill response vessel.
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