Finnish DP (dynamic positioning) systems supplier Navis Engineering has been contracted by Dutch integrator Alphatron Marine to supply nine DP1 systems for the innovative ‘Sea Axe Fast Crew Suppliers’, currently under construction at Damen Shipyards in Gorinchem.
The nine vessels are part of a series of 14 Sea Axe Fast Crew Suppliers to incorporate Navis DP technology. Damen’s flexible multi-purpose design has been developed to optimise sea-going performance of the Fast Crew Suppliers so that the vessels can be deployed in a broad range of tasks, mostly as offshore support vessels. The NavDP4000 dynamic positioning system is part of the overall bridge package delivered by Alphatron Marine. The multi-command chair will permit vessel control from a seated position. All the DP systems will have Bureau Veritas DYNAPOS AM/AT classification.
Having delivered more than 350 DP systems for different vessel types, Navis Engineering claims to have been the first DP manufacturer to cope successfully with the problem of precise positioning of the light-weight low displacement crew boat in 2002. Designed for high speed operation and equipped with powerful propulsion, Fast Crew Suppliers have only recently been designated for station-keeping deployment.