DP System for Icebreaking Standby Vessel
A Navis NavDP4000 DP-2 system has been commissioned on board the third vessel in a series of four currently under construction on Arctech Helsinki Shipyards. This project is a further development of the two multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels Vitus Bering and Aleksey Chirikov delivered for same owner back in 2012 and 2013. The multifunctional icebreaking standby vessel is designed for year round operations in harsh conditions of Arctic waters, as she was built to Icebreaker 6 class of Russian Maritime Register. She is also designed to act as an accommodation vessel. The previously delivered Gennadiy Nevelskoy and Stepan Makarov already started operations serving Sakhalin-2 project.
Safety the Focus as Heavy Lifting Picks Up
Heavy lift operations offshore are an awe-inspiring feat, but an operation that requires consistent monitoring of man, machine and procedure to ensure they are conducted in as an efficient and safe manner as possible. Due to a growing focus on safety related to subsea lifting operations, DNV GL recently established a Joint Industry Project (JIP) to develop practical methods for reducing the risks and lifetime cost of steel wire ropes for subsea lifting applications, using an integrated systems approach.
Navis Joins Aker Arctic for Ice Class DP Design
Navis Engineering Oy and Aker Arctic Technology Inc. have signed a scientific and technical cooperation agreement covering the joint development of technology for dynamic positioning (DP) systems for icebreakers and ice-class vessels. The agreement was signed in St. Petersburg during NEVA 2013 at the end of September. Dynamic positioning systems manufactured by Navis Engineering have been installed on a number of icebreakers and ice-class vessels in recent years, including the Polar supply and research icebreaker SA Agulhas II, the Canadian Coast Guard Scientific icebreaker Amundsen and the Sovcomflot-owned multifunctional icebreaking supply vessels Vitus Bering and Aleksey Chirikov, operating for Exxon Neftegaz Ltd in Sakhalin waters in Russia.
Finnish Shipbuilding and Arctic Operations
The STX Turku Shipyard in Finland recently lost the order for a third Oasis class cruise ship and an option for a fourth to ”sister” shipyard STX France, when neither the owner, the financially troubled STX Group, nor the Finnish government wanted to inject a missing $64.3m to the capital of the shipyard. The yard is currently building two 97,000gt cruise ships for TUI Cruises. In January the shipyard delivered the world’s first LNG-fuelled big size passenger-car ferry, the Viking Grace for Baltic ferry operator Viking Line.
Arctic OSV Named at Arctech Yard
Arctic offshore vessel NB 507 has been named after Russian Navigator Aleksey Chirikov at Arctech Helsinki Shipyard. The vessel will be delivered to the largest Russian shipping company Sovcomflot shortly and will continue its path straight to Sakhalin area in Far East Russia, where it will supply the Arkutun-Dagi oil and gas field. Arctech has built two arctic offshore supply vessels for Russian company Sovcomflot, which specialises in hydrocarbon transportation from Arctic and subarctic regions with challenging icy conditions.
