Damen has developed a new concept vessel – the Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) 9020. The ship features a stable platform with good station-keeping capability, low carbon emissions and flexibility to add mission-specific tools. The vessel can also be delivered to operate on green methanol.
‘We were approached by several different operators at the same time, all looking for slightly different offshore capabilities, but similar enough that their requirements could be met with a conceptual standard platform,’ says design & proposal engineer Mark Couwenberg.
‘The thinking behind the OSV 9020 is very much in line with the Damen philosophy of shipbuilding in series; it’s a standard product, as a result drawing upon proven technology, that can be tailored to individual requirements via modularisation.’
Different offshore tasks
The vessel has been designed to perform a variety of offshore tasks both at surface level and subsea. A helicopter deck is integrated in the design to increase vessel flexibility.
Equipment view.
‘The vessel can be fitted with a moonpool-deployed saturation dive system to allow diving operations at offshore crane, a stern A-frame and an offshore access system,’ adds Couwenberg. ‘The vessel can also act as a submarine rescue vessel. For this, submarine rescue gear is placed on deck. To ensure suitability for this scope of work, the available vessel accommodation, manoeuvring systems and dive support systems are crucial features.’
DP operations
The vessel is primarily designed to operate on DP. The complete hull, superstructure and thruster layout is designed for this. The hull features equally good ahead and astern performance. The vessel profile ensures low wind catch.
The four identical azimuthing thrusters are arranged symmetrically: two on the stern and two on the bow. This ensures maximum station-keeping performance while avoiding high noise levels in the accommodation. In addition, this layout results in lower maintenance costs, lower fuel consumption and less total installed power.
Although the main benefits of the design are seen during station-keeping, the transit performance of the vessel is also very efficient. Speed and fuel consumption are hardly sacrificed by the layout.
Battery pack
The diesel generators are supported by a battery pack. The electric system is designed to operate safely with closed bus-ties. This makes it safely possible to have fewer engines running, resulting in reduction of fuel oil consumption and harmful emissions by up to twenty per cent and less maintenance.
Moreover, with clean, sustainable operations in mind, the vessel is fitted with a hybrid power generation system, resulting in low emissions.
Green methanol
The vessel can optionally be delivered to operate on green methanol, produced from biological waste streams. This allows reduction of well-to-propeller CO2 emissions by approximately seventy per cent.
In addition to the ease of bunkering offered by green methanol at most ports in the world, it is easy to handle safely on board and is cost-efficient. Additionally, methanol sacrifices very little design capacity so that the vessel does not need to be larger to achieve similar endurance.
Accommodation
Accommodation is a key feature for the success of any offshore operation. The OSV 9020 provides living space for up to 120 persons on board.
Couwenberg: ‘There has been a lot of consideration to make sure the accommodation is both functional and comfortable. For example, care has been taken to ensure proper on board logistics, so that daily routines are as efficient as possible and that working areas are separated from living space.’
