It’s not every year a new vessel is recognised as a true game-changer. The anticipated Dockwise Vanguard has been designed to enable operators and contractors consider opportunities for mega offshore units which were until now considered unthinkable
The Dutch marine contractor Dockwise’s new generation vessel—currently under construction—will enter the heavy marine transport market with anticipation.
Next generation requirements
The next decade is expected to see a growing demand for transportation and installation projects, particularly for the transport of integrated offshore units to remote locations.
Today, these fully integrated offshore units such as TLPs and semi-submersibles are currently transported separately. Other units, such as spar buoys and FPSOs, can only be transported up to a certain size and are usually wet-towed to their destination.
Existing semi-submersible heavy-lift vessels can’t transport the next generation of platforms. The world’s current largest semi-submersible heavy-lift vessel, the Blue Marlin — also owned by Dockwise — can carry structures of up to 76,000 metric tons.
While capable of transporting some mega structures (such as BP’s Thunder Horse), the Blue Marlin is limited in its ability to transport larger and heavier units. Many of these newer units require a new type of vessel with a significantly increased carrying capacity along with an increased deck size and flexibility.
In light next generation requirements, Dockwise decided to invest in a completely new vessel capable to transport super-sized offshore structures.
Innovative design
The Dockwise Vanguard was engineered to surpass current heavy marine transport limitations. The vessel’s accommodation block and navigation bridge are located on the extreme starboard side.
The vessel has no bow, and this, along with other design features, gives the vessel a unique appearance. Furthermore, the deck covers a surface of 275m by 70m, equipped with movable casings suitable for overhang in all directions.
In addition, the vessel has a dedicated design for ultra-heavy units weighing up to 110,000 metric tons. Optimised deck strength and extreme wide-load capabilities are at the heart of the design philosophy; as are the vessel’s stability characteristics.
It is equipped with a 27MW redundant propulsion system consisting of two fixed propellers at the aft and two retractable azimuth thrusters at the bow. These can reach a maximum transit speed of 14 knots, which translates to average service speeds of 11-13 knots with cargo. In addition, the vessel allows for 16 meters water above deck, accommodating cargoes with a higher draft.
New opportunities
The Dockwise Vanguard’s capabilities present new opportunities which were unthinkable until now.
Companies in the oil and gas industry can now specify much larger and heavier offshore structures, and these can be integrated at a single fabrication site.
These mega structures can then be transported onboard the vessel to remote offshore locations, even in harsh climates where no commissioning facilities are available. This feature can help reduce costs and optimise the overall project. In essence, the new vessel will play an important role in the field development philosophy of oil and gas majors, since it will be capable of transporting fully integrated mega offshore units.
The vessel’s design is also expected to help operators and developers create value. With its capabilities, timely and risky phases of offshore projects can be managed prior to hookup and commissioning. Interface optimisation, higher degree of risk mitigation, lower insurance premiums, improved schedule flexibility, and reduced time-to-production – as well as reduced offshore man-hours – are a few examples of opportunities.
In addition, the vessel’s advanced technical capabilities enable it to offer a completely new service: offshore dry-docking.
Offshore dry-docking
Increasingly, FPSOs are being located in remote areas which lack support infrastructure. In this circumstance, an offshore dry-docking service can be specially valuable.
The Dockwise Vanguard’s FPSO dry-docking capacity offers inspection, maintenance, and repair opportunities (amongst others) at different conditional modes.
The FPSO could remain connected to its mooring and turret system while keeping the riser systems intact, with the possibility of continuing limited production. In this scenario, the FPSO will still be able to freely weathervane around the turret mooring, with controlled heading made possible by the vessel’s propulsion system.
In order to fully realise this new offshore service, Dockwise received an “approval in principle” from ABS following the commissioning of a hazard identification (HAZID) safety assessment. This assessment took place in the presence of a multidisciplinary team of experts and representatives from two oil and gas majors.
Industry anticipation
The Dockwise Vanguard continues to capture the interest of oil and gas majors. Three contracts have been agreed, each transporting behemoth sized platforms.
The maiden assignment will load and transport Chevron’s Jack/St.Malo 50,000 ton semi-submersible hub production facility from the Samsung yard to Kiewit’s Corpus Christi facility in the US Golf Coast. Upon completion, it will return to Korea for its second assignment to transports Eni’s Goliath FPSO—52,000 ton cylindrical Sevan-type platform—from Hyundai Heavy Industries to the Eni Norge Goliat Field in the Barents Sea.
The third assignment consists of transporting a 45,000 ton spar buoy for Statoil. The platform, measuring approximately 200m in length with a 50m diameter, will be transported from either Korea or Finland—subject of yard choice—to Aasta Hansteen (ex-Luva) field in the Vøring area.
The vessel’s design philosophy received two awards by maritime organisations. The first award was from the Royal Association of Dutch Ship Owners for the KVNR Shipping Award 2011.
This award recognised the Dockwise Vanguard as the most innovative vessel. The second recognition, an OTC Spotlight on New Technology Award bestowed at this year’s conference, also recognised the vessel’s innovative design. In selecting a new technology winner, the jury’s decision was based on the following criteria: new, innovative, proven, broad interest, and significant impact.
With its innovative design, the Dockwise Vanguard symbolises the future of exceptional heavy marine transport. This next generation vessel is uniquely capable to offer a new world of opportunities.
