In this issue we focus on exploring frontiers. Also inside: DYNPOS enhancing reliability; Dockwise heavy transport; Fred. Olsen Windcarrier
Date: 2011-10-23
In this issue we focus on exploring frontiers. Also inside: DYNPOS enhancing reliability; Dockwise heavy transport; Fred. Olsen Windcarrier
Date: 2011-10-23

When collecting stories for this edition, we started out with the key words “global diversity” relevant to people with an interest in specialised ships. When reading this edition, I hope you will enjoy stories from people representing a wide range of perspectives on how to prepare for the business of tomorrow.

In response to rapid changes in dynamic positioning (DP) technologies, DNV has launched a new, flexible and efficient DP notation that has been developed to allow owners to optimise fuel usage and reduce operational costs while maintaining high integrity in relation to loss of position and heading.

Dockwise, the Dutch heavy marine transport specialist, is taking things quite literary to the next level. Their newest vessel is destined to change the very scale of offshore production units.

Nordnorsk Skipskonsult AS is a high-tech ship designer located in the north Norwegian towns of Harstad (main office) and Tromsø as well as in Arkhangelsk, Russia. It has some 25 employees and owns two ships especially designed for supplying fish pellets to fish farms off the Norwegian coast – see the story in the next article.

So far, experience of using LNG as ship fuel has been limited to ferries and offshore supply vessels in addition to LNG carriers. Within the next two years, however, three coastal and short sea cargo ships with LNG propulsion are scheduled for delivery and as many as eight more are expected to be built. LNG as ship fuel is making its way into the short sea cargo transport market.

Over the last two decades, rapid growth in the maritime industry has forced many owners to hire younger, less-experienced technical personnel. In response to industry demand, DNV has created a web-based version of the popular Superintendent’s Manual to help improve technical competence.

Polarkonsult is a ship design company that is located in Harstad in northern Norway and employs some 25 engineers and designers.

In an industry where it is all too easy to play it safe, Eide Marine Services took a chance by engineering a unique design for a light workover well intervention unit. The ship shaped column-stabilized unit features an innovative hull shape that offers many operational benefits, but can be built at a lower cost than a conventional rig – a smart solution that helped the company win its largest contract to date.

Increased offshore activity and a growing demand for higher capacity Diving Support Vessels (DSVs) has resulted in new technical and design challenges. But with decades of experience and an integrated approach covering all aspects of the vessel and diving package, DNV has the in-house competence to get the job done.

Wilh. Wilhelmsen group has made maritime history with four of the world’s largest RoRo ships built at Mitsubishi Heavy to DNV class. As a first of the series, launched earlier in 2011, the MV Tønsberg also represented a 150th anniversary vessel for the Norwegian deepsea RoRo specialist. The Mark V class vessel is the largest of its kind, with a length of 265 metres offering a cargo volume of 138 000 cubic metres over six fixed and three hoistable decks.

In February 2011, DNV released “Greener Shipping in North America” which looks at the three options for owners to choose from to meet new emissions control area (ECA) requirements in North America: Switch to low sulfur fuel within the ECA areas, install scrubbers to remove the sulfur from the exhaust gas or switch to Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

Established in 2008, Fred. Olsen Windcarrier is a new player in the wind turbine installation market. But with two purpose-built vessels now under construction, the company is preparing to take a bold step into this growing segment.

DNV has developed the world’s first class rules for wind farm service vessels in order to improve safety and promote uniform standards. The rules were published January 2011.