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Last December, Ulstein Verft AS won the contract to convert Solstad's cable- laying vessel Normand Clipper into a pipe-laying and offshore construction vessel. The conversion work was sched- uled to be finished by the end of May. "Preparatory work began in December 2004, when the rigging and cable-laying equipment was brought ashore. Bunkers still inside the vessel were removed, and the tanks drained of gas. In January this year, work began to cut away the hangar, remove equipment and build sections, but shipyard workers could not fully begin the work until mid February. By that time", says Lidvar Lillerovde, Project Manager at Ulstein Verft, "the vessel had entered dry dock." "The yard has assigned many workers to the task and there is the ability and determination to deliver on schedule. In addition to this, the charterer has made a number of requests during the conver- sion process, which have led to minor modifications being carried out - these demands have been tackled on the spot," said Captain Erling Sandviknes of Solstad. Normand Clipper will have a 250-ton heave-compensated offshore crane mounted in August. Ulstein Verft will erect the crane pedestal and carry out preparatory work to enable the crane to be mounted on the port side of the vessel. A new transformer and switch- board room, which ensures the power supply for the crane, has also been installed. The 25-ton crane, which used to stand on the port side, has been relo- cated to the starboard side, and has been upgraded for work down to a depth of 500 m. The vessel used to accommodate a crew of 70. That capacity is adequate for pure pipe-laying assignments, but more hands are needed for the more demanding construction jobs. "This challenge is met by the upgrad- ing of existing accommodation, and by extending the superstructure towards the stern. We have put in extra cabins, an ROV hangar for remotely controlled mini-submarines, an ROV control room, an office and a conference room. We will now be able to accommodate a crew of 102. We have also fitted new life-boats and davits to comply with the NIS requirements for crews of this size", Lillerovde says. The vessel has increased its breadth from 23.4 to 27 m by adding sponsoons. "These sponsoons are drawn right up to the wheelhouse midships", says the Project Manager. "The sponsoons extend the deck sideways, accommodating 36 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News % F T J H O . B J O U F O B O D F 4 Z T U F N T * O D X X X E F T N B J O U D P N $ F S U J m D B U F / P . 1 . 4 1 M B O O F E . B J O U F O B O D F 4 Z T U F N G P S . B D I J O F S Z % F U / P S T L F 7 F S J U B T 3 V M F T G P S $ M B T T J m D B U J P O P G 4 I J Q T $ F S U J m D B U F / P U F / P 5 Z Q F " Q Q S P W B M 1 S P H S B N N F / P $ F S U J m D B U F / P U F / P 5 Z Q F " Q Q S P W B M 4 U S F B N M J O F T I J Q C P B S E N B J O U F O B O D F X J U I 0 $ , 1 7 H O O L J H Q F H ? 6 W U H D P O L Q H V K L S E R D U G P D L Q W H Q D Q F H D Q G R S H U D W L R Q V Z L W K D ' 1 9 D S S U R Y H G 3 O D Q Q H G 0 D L Q W H Q D Q F H 0 D Q D J H P H Q W 6 \ V W H P ? 5 H G X F H F R V W V D V V R F L D W H G Z L W K & O D V V 6 X U Y H \ ) H H V ? + D U P R Q L ] H & O D V V 6 X U Y H \ R I P D F K L Q H U \ ? 6 L P S O L I \ \ R X U ( Q J L Q H 5 R R P / R J D Q G P R U H 0 $ , 1 7 H O O L J H Q F H รค P H H W V F O D V V V X U Y H \ U H T X L U H P H Q W V K D V D I X O O S U H G L F W L Y H P D L Q W H Q D Q F H 3 G 0 S U R J U D P Y L E U D W L R Q R L O W K H U P R J U D S K \ D Q G H Q J L Q H D Q D O \ V L V D Q G P D Q D J H V H Q J L Q H U R R P O R J U H T X L U H P H Q W V X V L Q J K D Q G K H O G F R P S X W H U V ) R U P R U H L Q I R U P D W L R Q Y L H Z W K H E U R F K X U H V R Q R X U Z H E V L W H Z Z Z G H V P D L Q W F R P R U F D O O X V I R U D Z H E E D V H G G H P R Q V W U D W L R Q Circle 272 on Reader Service Card Circle 233 on Reader Service Card 2005 YEARBOOK Cable Layer Converted Into Pipe Layer After conversion, "Normand Clipper" will look quite like her sister "Normand Cutter" (Contined on page 40) MR JUNE 2005 #5 (33-40).qxd 6/3/2005 9:03 AM Page 36
