Dubai to build offshore construction vessels

The two 130.8m long x 39m wide vessels have a design weight in excess of 14,000 tonnes and will be built at the Jebel Ali yard in Dubai with contracted deliveries in May and September 2012, respectively. The contract price is about $160 million per vessel.

With a maximum payload of 5,300 tonnes, the newbuildings are enhanced GustoMSC 9000C designs, meaning self elevating vessels with four jackup legs and a large installation crane. The design incorporates important features from in-house experience from offshore wind installation and maintenance work. The governing thought throughout the vessel design phase has been to make the vessels as operable and flexible as possible to perform the required tasks for loading, transporting and erecting wind turbine equipment offshore.

The 3,200m² open deck space and accessibility has been achieved by wrapping the 800 tonne crane around one of the legs, plus the operability of a high performance jacking systems designed for fast and frequent jacking operations as required by the wind industry.

Classed by DNV, the vessels will be driven by three stern Voith Schneider propellers and three bow thrusters to give a DP2 capability and a transit speed of 12 knots. Accommodation will be provided for a total compliment of 80 persons and the vessels will be fitted with a helicopter deck approved for Sikorsky S92A, Super Puma AS 332 L2 (CAP437).