Tailor-made UT-Design vessels from Rolls-Royce

23 May 2006

UT 514 L

Rolls Royce is working on a number of offshore support vessel new build projects where the design has been tailored specifically to meet the requirements of individual customers. UT-Design manager, Sven Kleven, says, “One of our strengths is our ability to produce ‘horses for courses’. We have at the moment several vessels on order which illustrate our ability to create solutions to particular customer needs especially well”.

The UT 514 L type Carlo Magno, which has recently entered service off the coast of West Africa, was built by Rosetti Marino Spa for Augustea Imprese Maritime, a Naples-based provider of harbour and deep sea towage, and offshore support services. Augustea required a powerful vessel for open ocean barge towing, but wanted a vessel that was also capable of other duties, such as offshore field assistance and salvage.

In response, UT-Design developed the UT 514 L type, 130 tonnes bollard pull Carlo Magno . This is a 55.4m long twin screw vessel with two main engines, each rated at 4,000kW, which turn CP propellers in nozzles, high lift rudders and twin 350kW tunnel bow thrusters. Towing can be carried out either from a tow hook or from the Rauma Brattvaag two drum waterfall winch.

In addition to towing, salvage/firefighting and anchorhandling work, the Carlo Magno is equipped for general offshore services, such as transporting people, pipes and equipment. For this purpose, comfortable quarters are provided for a total of 24 crew and passengers.

In another notable project, two units of the multi-functional UT 734 N type AHTS design have been ordered by Augusta Offshore of Naples. Delivery of these 2450dwt vessels is scheduled to take place from Myklebust Verft in Norway in July and November 2007 respectively.

The 68.9 m long, 16.8 m beam, UT 734 N is a cost-effective design, that offers a high degree of operational flexibility, as it can undertake many different types of assignment, including anchorhandling, towing, firefighting, rescue and oil recovery. Around 1000 tonnes of deck cargo can also be carried onboard.

Augusta has specified a full package of Rolls-Royce equipment for these two vessels, including four Bergen C25:33L6P engines in a twin screw layout. In addition, a 450 tonne brake load, two drum winch offers a large wire capacity for deep water operations, while the onboard equipment package further includes two storage reels for wire rope above the main winch. The new Rolls-Royce towing pin/shark jaw/centring system will also be installed onboard.

A third example of UT-Design’s capability to produce tailor-made vessels is a new diesel electrically driven Platform Supply Vessel (PSV), the UT 751 E, which it has developed for Farstad Shipping, to meet the requirements of a long term contract with Norsk Hydro in the North Sea. Two of these vessels are being built at Aker Yards, Brevik, and the first is scheduled for delivery in mid-2007.

The UT 751 E, which features a new hull form with a bulbous bow, will be powered by twin Rolls-Royce Azipull thrusters. Within an overall length of 93 m and a beam of 21 m, UT-Design has provided a cargo deck area of about 1,100m2. Despite this relatively large carrying capacity, the hull design ensures there is an extremely low power requirement, regardless of load, at the service speed of 12-15 knots.

The UT 751 E will be able to transport a wide variety of liquid, bulk and dry cargoes including cargo fuel, brine and liquid mud, and there will also be tanks onboard for methanol, emulsion breaker and rig slops. The new vessel will furthermore be able to undertake various safety standby duties as well as oil spill cleanup work.

Cargo and equipment can be loaded on to the vessel’s deck by truck through a stern port. A new patented automatic cargo securing system, ASFA, developed by UT-Design, has been specified and there will also be an Odim automated hose handling system onboard for liquid cargo, to ensure a high level of safety for the crew onboard.

The Azipull AZP120 main steerable thrusters with CP propellers and 2,200kW electric motors are supplemented by two 883kW TT2400 tunnel bow thrusters and an 883kW swing-up azimuth bow thruster, all with frequency control. The propulsion system meets IMO DP2 dynamic positioning standard and will enable the vessel to keep station under extreme wind and weather conditions.

Rolls-Royce has also recently picked up its first order for a Middle East owner, ESNAAD in Abu Dhabi, and this contract similarly requires the company to fine-tune the design to meet the customer’s specific needs. Two UT 780 type vessels are to be built in Indonesia and in this case the design is based on the successful UT 780 AHTS. However the vessels will be designed for operation in very high ambient air and water temperatures in the Middle East Gulf.

ESNAAD has specified a six tank, 190m3, bulk system, and FiFi 1 and Comf-V(3) class notations. The bulk and mud systems will also be configured to suit the owners needs and will give ESNAAD the ability to handle three separate commodities simultaneously.