Incat Tasmania Pty Ltd has started the construction of a first type 70m Catamaran Fast Crew Boat (FCB) for operations in the Caspian Sea oil industry in Azerbaijan, Incat Crowther said in a media release. The contract was signed on August 1 2013 in Baku, Azerbaijan by Incat Chairman Robert Clifford and representatives of Caspian Marine Services.
Incat Chairman Robert Clifford commented: "At 70 metres length and 30 knot speed we expect this will be the largest fast crew transport vessel operating in the global oil industry and Incat envisage an expanding market for this type of vessel."
The vessel delivery is scheduled for mid September 2014, hence design work is well advanced, ordering of materials and equipment is underway. The vessel will be delivered via the Volga-Don Canal to the Caspian Sea, Azerbaijan.
Once deployed, CMS will operate the vessels, providing crew transfer and hot shot cargo services to platforms in such fields as Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG), the largest oil field in Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea and Shah Deniz (a large offshore gas and condensate field). The oil and gas produced from these fields is transported by tanker for processing in Baku, and then transported via pipeline through Georgia and Turkey to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan or the Georgian port of Supsa in the Black Sea.
The vessel is compliant with IMO HSC code and complete with a crew transfer system consisting of dynamic positioning equipment class (DP2) coupled with a stabilized access platform. The vessel will operate as a fast crew transfer vessel for 150 offshore workers to multiple offshore installations. The hull design has been optimized for high speed transits with specific features to limit the sea sickness of transiting offshore workers. The on-board noise, vibration and indoor climate is in accordance with DNV comfort class notation. The vessel is designed to operate in sea conditions of 40 knot wind and seas of 3m significant wave height.
The high speed of the 70m FCB allows operational cost efficiency over helicopter transfer for passengers and cargo. Crew transfer is completed primarily by a stabilized access platform, providing a level platform and gangway to access the offshore platform from the vessel. The access platform compensates for the vessels motion by using 6 hydraulic cylinders. The vessel will hold station using dynamic positioning (DNV DYNPOS-AUTR), and in combination with the stabilized access platform, crew transfers will be performed in up to sea state 4.
This vessel is the first catamaran to utilize this system and the first to have the stabilized access platform structure and supporting systems integrated into the design. For redundancy and operations in higher sea conditions, a crane lifted personnel transfer system is provided for up to 2 groups of 9 offshore workers.
Four MTU 16V4000 engines will power the vessel driving Hamilton HT-900 water jet propulsion with a service speed of 30 knots at full load condition and 90% MCR in sea state 4. Four azimuthing drop-down thrusters forward will take care of maneuvering, with the vessel having DP-2 equivalent DNV classification.
