(With video) Last week, the "Walk-to-Work" vessel Kroonborg was christened in the port of Delfzijl, the Netherlands.
The newly developed Service Operating Vessel (SOV) will be deployed for NAM in assistance for its offshore maintenance activities to unmanned platforms and gas productions wells in the Southern North Sea in the upcoming 10 years.
Efficient Offshore Operations
Due to a combinations of functions and new techniques the Kroonborg is has unique characteristics. The vessel was specially designed after a specific demand from NAM by Royal Wagenborg, shipyard Royal Niestern Sander and NAM. With a dedicated vessel, NAM would like to transport its people safely to platforms and to execute offshore operations more efficiently.
Kroonborg
The Kroonborg, measuring nearly 80 metres, is a workshop, storage, hotel and means of transport. It offers accommodation facilities to sixty people, including two crews of twenty technicians. With this SOV, NAM crews can work on multiple platforms for two consecutive weeks.
By means of a motion compensated offshore access system, technicians can literally walk to work. A motion compensated crane, using a similar technique, can tranship heavy materials up to 20 tonnes at an outreach of 10 metres (32,5t @ 2m).
The design, hull shape and Voith Schneider propulsion system of this DP2 vessel enables a smooth seakeeping behaviour at sea. Kroonborg is the first offshore vessel in the world to sail on GTL fuel, a liquid fuel made of natural gas with less emissions than conventional fuels for vessels.
Watch the video "Introducing the Kroonborg" below.
Picture: The Kroonborg at Royal Niestern Sander (video still).
