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bulky deck equipment such as pipe carousel, but they also compensate for the readjustment of weight that is required when the largest crane is swung over the ship´s side. As a consequence of the sideways extension of the vessel, new crane base, ROV module and living modules, the added weight of new steel in the hull is estimated at approximately 1300 tons". "For the vessel being capable of carry- ing a full load of pipes and equipment for pipe-laying and construction work, the working deck had to be reinforced. We have halved the distance between ribs and strengthened several decks. While the deck could previously support 3 tons per square meter, it is now able to support 10 tons per square meter," said Lillerovde. Upgrading of DP2 "A moon pool has been installed in the deck to enable equipment to be lowered down for subsea operations. For such assignments, the vessel must have strong motors and propellers, as well as a dynamic positioning system (DP) that guarantees the vessel's positional stabil- ity, regardless of weather or conditions at sea. The vessel was already equipped with a DP2 system, but this has been upgraded with new reference equipment and other features. In order to manage construction and pipe-laying assign- ments, the bridge has been rearranged; the DP desks on the bridge have been moved aft, and new manoeuvring desks have been fitted in aft for complete con- trol. With future demands from authori- ties in mind, we have also mounted a Voyage Data Recorder (VDR) on the bridge, which processes signals, through 70 different cables, from all machinery onboard," he says. The converted Normand Clipper is due to leave Ulstein Verft in the end of May this year, bound for Newcastle, where the vessel will report for duty on four assignments for Technip Offshore. "We will take on board two ROVs and four drums for umbilicals and flexi pipes," Captain Sandviknes says. The umbilicals are cables that provide sub- sea and other installations with among other hydraulic, fiber optic and electric power. Flexi pipes are designed to con- duct gas and oil between installations on the sea bed. "Three of the assignments are inside the English sector, and involve laying umbilicals and flexi pipes. The key project is the laying of the principal umbilical from Melkøya off Hammerfest, Norway, and out to the Snøkvit oil field. We will have a 20-m diameter carousel mounted for this assignment, around which we will wrap the umbilical. This assignment will last just under a month and a half." These assignments will come to an end around mid August. The vessel will then head for Kristiansand, Norway, where National Oilwell will deliver and mount the fully integrated 250-ton crane. "The crane will undergo testing, after which we will probably begin another assignment which will take us up to the 1st of November. As of that date, we will have a 180-day contract with the Australian company, Clough Ltd. We will take onboard complete deck equip- ment, i.e. eight flexi-pipe rails and new ROVs. Thereafter, we head for the East coast of India to lay flexi pipes. The agreement with Clough Ltd. contains an option to extend the agreement for up to five more years, in direct continuation of the fixed period," Sandviknes says. Circle 52 on Reader Service Card 40 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News BURRARD HEAVY DUTY DECK MACHINERY TOWING WINCHES, ANCHOR WINDLASSES, MOORING CAPSTANS, CARGO WINCHES, HYDRAULIC OR ELECTRIC DRIVES BURRARD IRON WORKS LIMITED 220 Alexander Street, Vancouver, B.C. V6A 1C1 Telephone: (604) 684-2491 Fax: (604) 684-0458 E-mail: sales@burrardironworks.com “Burrard heavy duty double drum towing winch as supplied to: Delta Linda, Delta Carey, Delta Deanna, Millennium Falcon, Millennium Star and Millennium Dawn” Circle 293 on Reader Service Card Circle 219 on Reader Service Card (Contined from page 36) 2005 YEARBOOK Normand Clipper in April. MR JUNE 2005 #5 (33-40).qxd 6/3/2005 9:10 AM Page 40
