Damen's 8500-series offshore carrier wins OSJ Award

On 8th February at the Offshore Support Journal Annual Awards in London, the Maersk Connector received the Offshore Support Ship 2017 Award. The Maersk Supply Service owned vessel is the second of Damen Shipyards Group’s Offshore Carrier 8500 series and was awarded for setting an industry benchmark through its innovative design and efficiency in operation, the Group said Thursday in a press release.

The Maersk Connector was built at Damen Shipyards Galati in Romania and delivered to Maersk Supply Service in 2016. Since then, she has been on long term charter with UK-based DeepOcean working on a number of projects. The design of the vessel, and her subsequent success, is the result of a close collaboration between the three parties.

Carsten Gram Haagensen, Chief Commercial Officer of Maersk Supply Service: “Maersk Connector is a result of a highly productive cooperation. Throughout this project, Maersk Supply Service has been deeply committed to close dialogue and collaboration to maximize the project outcome for all parties. It is very rewarding for us as a vessel owner to have Maersk Connector as part of our 40-plus strong fleet and offer her exclusive capabilities to DeepOcean.”

Sam Taylor, DeepOcean's Technical Sales Manager, who played a significant role in the development and building of the vessel said: "Damen, Maersk Supply Service and DeepOcean's combined experience of vessel design, construction and subsea operations has resulted in the delivery of a very fine installation vessel. We are pleased that we will now get to put her through her paces on a number of the important offshore windfarm and subsea interconnector projects that DeepOcean have secured.”

Maersk Connector is able to deliver all the functionality of a DP2 vessel without having to sacrifice shallow water workability. Equipped with a 7-point mooring system the vessel can manouevre on a comprehensive anchor spread allowing close approach for shore end installations. She is, moreover, certified to ground out fully loaded in suitable ground conditions for beach operations. This function brings significant savings, eliminating the cost of a separate, shallow water vessel as well as reducing the number of required joints.

The vessel also features an innovative, unique dual basket 7,000 tonne carousel system which can handle HVAC, umbilicals and bundled HVDC power cables, capable of laying two cables simultaneously.

Furthermore, the DOC design’s sleek bow and slender hull enables the vessel to sustain speed and course in head seas with considerably reduced fuel consumption. This characteristic also offers reduced slamming for increased safety and comfort on board.

Damen Sales Manager Remko Bouma: “The Maersk Connector is a shining example of what can be achieved through collaboration. Not only was the vessel delivered on-time and on-budget, meeting all expectations, she also provides a relevant answer to many of the challenges facing the offshore markets currently. In operation she offers a safer, more efficient and cost-effective solution that bridges the offshore renewables and oil and gas industries.”