Hamburg, Germany: Leading Nordic maritime publication Skipsrevyen presented its “Ship of the Year” prize to the Island Wellserver subsea riserless well intervention (RLWI) vessel today at the Norwegian Pavilion at SMM. The one-of-a-kind ship was not only classed by DNV, but also received the company’s highest Comfort Class ratings for indoor climate and noise and vibration comfort levels.
Following Rolls-Royce’s UT 767 CD design, the vessel was built for owners Island Offshore in modules at Aker Yards’ Tulcea (Romania) and Langsten (Norway) facilities.
Also able to carry out subsea installation and module handling operations, trenching and ROV operations, the vessel has already built up quite a reputation in the offshore community as setting a new standard for work environment, safety and comfort. An example of this can be found in its noise and vibration levels, which fulfil the same requirements as those of a cruise ship.
“The Island Wellserver is a masterpiece in Norwegian shipbuilding and reflects the high market demands in a booming sector characterized by innovative solutions,” says Skipsrevyen editor Asle Strønen. “In fact, it’s like no vessel ever built before.”
In addition to being built to the strictest standards – including NMD regulations for mobile offshore units (NMD Redbook) and NORSOK – the vessel has also received the premier class notations from DNV. These comprise Dynpos-Autro (DP class), NAUTAW (bridge system), CLEAN DESIGN (strict environmental class notation) and the highest Comfort Class ratings. The ship was deliverd from yard to owner in May this year.
DNV was the first classification society to issue indoor climate comfort standards. Now 250 vessels worldwide have the Comfort Class notation, which helps shipbuilders and owners gauge and deliver conditions that provide for more satisfied passengers, considerably better working conditions for the crew, as well as a generally improved HSE situation on board.
More than 50 per cent of all offshore support contracts signed in 2007 were signed to DNV class. For the complete orderbook almost 40 per cent of all new OSVs are to DNV class. A major part of these vessels are to be completed at Norwegian yards.
After undergoing a systematic evaluation, the Island Wellserver’s full-scale measurements verified its reception of DNV’s highest notations for both the indoor climate (C1) and noise and vibrations (V1) influencing the well-being of crew and passengers.
The vessel will have the new mandatory class notation Well Intervention Unit in addition to the Well notation.