Tidewater orders four UT PSVs

The New Orleans-based Tidewater maintains it is the largest provider of ships serving the global offshore oil and gas industry and has a fleet of around 400 vessels. Jeff Platt, chief operations officer of Tidewater added: “We are very pleased to announce the construction of these UT 755CDL-designed vessels as part of our continued effort to provide our customers with the latest technology in offshore marine assets, capable of operating on a worldwide basis.”

The propulsion system used on the Rolls-Royce designed UT 755 CDL will include Rolls-Royce Azipull azimuth thrusters with pulling propellers for increased efficiency. This marks the first time these propulsors have been selected for this particular vessel type. Rolls-Royce will also supply the power electric system, the deck machinery and the high speed diesel generator sets.

The 81.55m long, 16m wide PSVs will feature a diesel-electric propulsion system that meets current Clean Design standards – an industry-specific range of stringent environmental and safety requirements. The vessel design places a premium on crew comfort and minimising noise and vibration.

The 3,200 dwt vessels will be built at the Drydocks World shipyard in Indonesia, with delivery scheduled for 2012. There are options for a further four vessels of the same type.