Offshore Muscle For Dutch Heaver-Lifter

Dubbed the DP2-B type, the 141m design offers particular capabilities in offshore delivery and installation as well as in the worldwide heavy load market.

Brouwersgracht, the first of two 12,500dwt newbuilds booked with Mawei shipyard at Fujian, was floated-out of the building dock during April, and handover is expected during the autumn, to be followed by sistership Bloemgracht next February.

The forward arrangement of bridge and accommodation, side-mounting of heavy-duty deck cranes, and offset funnel casing on the port quarter make for an obstruction-free, flush weather deck, augmenting the underdeck cargo volume. Loading and trading flexibility is enhanced by an ‘option-top’ notation, provision for two tweendeck levels, and potential 5,900m² deck space overall.

The two 500t-capacity heavy-lift mast (HLM) cranes supplied by Huisman rotate from seatings on the portside bulwark. The electrically-driven units combine power with an ultra-low creep speed for precision control of delicate cargo handling manoeuvres. The full lift capacity is obtainable at 13.5m outreach to port, while still affording 265t at 8m beyond the vessel’s starboard side. To increase possibilities in offshore applications, each of the B-type newbuilds will also be equipped with a removable, automated pipe-handling gantry.

For position-holding in typically challenging offshore environs, the design offers a DP2 station-keeping ability in Beaufort 6 conditions.

The Wartsila package for each vessel includes a 32-series main engine for propulsion, delivering 5,300kW via reduction gear to a controllable pitch propeller, and four 20-series engine gensets, of some 2,000kW apiece, to cater for the ship’s substantial electrical load. The engine maker’s proprietary selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems will ensure IMO Tier III NOx emission compliance for both main and auxiliary power production. Scrubber technology has also been specified for the newbuild programme.

Each ship’s four tunnel thrusters (two forward and two aft), and two retractable thrusters (forward and aft respectively) also emanate from the Wartsila stable, together with a Pro-Touch propulsion control system embracing both transit and DP operating stages.

Besides the group’s extensive fleet of multi-purpose cargo vessels, Spliethoff’s various interests include Amsterdam-based BigLift Shipping, which deploys 21 purpose-built heavy-lift ships and four heavy transport/module carriers, serving the oil and gas, mining, power generation and port industries and other sectors.