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www.seadiscovery.com Marine Technology Reporter 25 try. We have seen how the offshore oil and gas industry has evolved since its early days - to the point where society is now reliant on offshore oil/gas to meet its needs. Likewise, seafloor resources may one day be critical for society to meet its future needs for copper and zinc." "Jan De Nul is committing significant capi- tal to build this specialized mining ship. This agreement lays off the capital for the mining ship - our largest and longest lead time item - and puts us on track of our goal of production by end 2009. We chose Jan De Nul to partner with us on this exciting project as they have the world's most modern fleet, the largest dredgers in the world and are recognized as the innova- tors in the dredging industry." Jules Verne will be a dynamically positioned ship capable of deploying mining equipment, pumps and riser pipes for the operations at Solwara 1, which lies on the seafloor in up to 1,700 m of water. The plan calls for the copper - gold material to be dredged from the seafloor and pumped to the mining vessel where it would be transferred to barges for transport to a land based concentrator which would pro- duce a gold-rich copper concentrate for dis- patch to copper smelters. Jan De Nul will build, own and operate the mining ship, and will provide barges, tugs and operational capability in its role as mining con- tractor for the Solwara 1 Project. Nautilus would provide the capital (budget estimate $120 million) for two sub sea miners, power umbilicals, pumps, 1,800 m riser pipe and related handling equipment. Jan De Nul will reimburse Nautilus over time for this capital by rebating 6.5% of each monthly contract min- ing invoice, effectively purchasing the equip- ment from Nautilus. A New Standard of Quiet Institutions throughout North America are paying a lot of attention to the University of Delaware's new research vessel the Hugh R. Sharpe delivered from Dakota Creek Industries. The vessel is fitted with retractable transducer pod, articulating stern gantry, wet lab, dry lab, forward gear deployment boom and a CTD handling system. It incorporates in one vessel many of the most sought after fea- tures found on scientific research vessels around the world. But it is the propulsion sys- tem that is setting the new standard in American research vessels. The 146 x 32-ft. (44.5 x 9.75-m) diesel electric vessel is powered by four Cummins KTA19 -D(M1)-powered electric generators. The generators power two 483 kW, 600v dc propulsion motors mounted to a pair of Schottel Z-drive stern-mounted propulsion units. Although the vessel has a 12- knot cruising speed it can be operated in "quiet mode" at eight knots. Shutting down the two outboard generator sets and using only the two middle sets accomplish this quiet mode. While all four engines have Christie and Grey resilient mounts, the two inboard engines are also mounted on a 9,275-pound floating deck that is also resiliently mounted. In addition to the Cummins-powered "quiet mode" gensets, the vessel contains extensive hull insulation, dampening tiles and custom built piping isola- tion hangers have been incorporated to prevent radiated hull noise, and to limit sound pressure levels within the vessel. "This has been my biggest challenge since I worked on sub- marines," said Dakota Creek Industries' proj- ect engineer Elwood Ide, going on to explain that the resilient mounting and sound dampening sys- tems on the vessel are the commercial equivalent of what is put onto modern sub- marines. Even the bow thruster is resiliently mount- ed. Accommodation is pro- vided for 8 to 10 crewmem- bers, up to 12 live aboard sci- entists and up to 30-day trip scientists. The vessel is load lined and will carry a stabili- ty letter for unrestricted Ocean Service as an oceano- graphic research vessel. R/V Auk & R/V Fulmar All American Marine launched a 48 x 21-ft. cata- vessels Hugh R. Sharpe RV Fulmar MTR#9 (17-32).qxd 11/13/2006 4:47 PM Page 25
