Damen Shipyards Group has held a keel-laying ceremony for Herman Senior’s Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) 4916. The milestone moment in the construction of this first-in-series vessel took place at the Albwardy Damen shipyard in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Herman Senior has named the latest addition to its fleet Smokey in keeping with the company tradition of giving vessels names for famous bears. Tradition was also observed during the ceremony when two coins were welded to the keel. The coins selected were a historic Rijksdaalder from the Netherlands and a UAE Dirham, to reflect both the vessel’s Dutch heritage and the construction location.
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Launching customer
Herman Senior is a long-standing client of Damen and operates numerous vessels from the shipbuilders’ portfolio in its fleet. As in this case, the company is often the launching customer for first-in-series Damen vessels.
‘The keel laying of MPV Smokey marks an important step in the further expansion of our offshore capabilities,’ says Erwin van Dodewaard, Managing Director at Herman Senior. ‘With this vessel, which is a first of a kind once again, we are investing in versatility, reliability and long term operational value. Our long-standing cooperation with Damen, built on trust, craftsmanship and shared family values, enables us to translate these ambitions into a vessel that is truly fit for the future offshore energy market.’
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Wide range of tasks and IMO Tier III
Smokey is designed to perform a wide range of tasks in the offshore energy sectors. Its versatility is assured by DP2 dynamic positioning capabilities, a four-point mooring system and spud poles, which allow the vessel to keep station in diverse environments and water depths. The vessel will also feature a 45-tonne hydraulic A-frame, and an active heave compensated winch on the crane, which allows for safe, precise lifting, even in challenging conditions.
The MPV 4916 is prepared for a sustainable future. The vessel features the Damen Marine NOX Reduction System, a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system that lowers both noise and emissions in a single, compact unit and allows compliance with IMO Tier III requirements. It is, furthermore, prepared for conversion to either fully electric or hybrid methanol propulsion in the future.
Safety and comfort are also focal points in the design. Smokey is designed in accordance with SPS Code (Code of Safety for Special Purpose Ships), MLC (Maritime Labour Convention) 2006 and COMF-3 notation to ensure the well-being of up to 34 persons on board.
Picture: MPV 4916 Smokey (image by Damen).
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