Rolls-Royce celebrates century of UT 755 orders

29 May 2006

Rolls-Royce is celebrating the 100th order for its highly successful UT 755 offshore supply vessel design, first developed in the early 1990s.

The landmark contract was placed by the Norwegian company, Myklebusthaug Offshore, for a UT 755 LC vessel that will be built by the Simek yard in Flekkefjord. This will be a near sistership to the Dina Mercur, another UT 755 LC, delivered to the same owner by Simek in February of this year.

Suffolk Supporter was the first UT 755 to go into service in 1996 and was built for Britannia/Suffolk Marine in the UK by the Soviknes shipyard in Norway. The success of the original UT 755 led to its further development including the introduction of a lengthened version, type named UT 755 L, which has proved highly popular in the market. The latest UT 755 LC type incorporates further hull form developments, including a bulbous bow, and various advances in equipment and systems.

With a deadweight of 3250 tonnes at a 5.8m draught, Myklebusthaug's new vessel will have an overall length of 76.6 m, slightly longer than the Dina Mercur, and a beam of 16 m. She will be able to carry a wide range of cargo types, including 320 m3 of bulk powder in five tanks, and will have approximately 688 m2 of deck area, about 40m2 more than the earlier vessel.

According to ship owner, Roald Myklebusthaug, “Our first UT 755 LC was delivered in February of this year and has functioned exceptionally well in the North Sea. We have had purely positive feedback about seakeeping and noise/vibration levels, especially with the new bulbous bow and Comfort class.”

The second newbuilding for Myklebusthaug is to be built to a similarly high specification, and will have both Clean and Comf-V(3) class notation. Two Bergen C25:33 L8P main engines will provide the propulsive power, developing 2,320 kW and turning twin CP propellers. Four tunnel thrusters will also be installed, with two mounted forward, and two aft.