Fast Crew Boat under construction at Incat
Incat Tasmania is currently building a 70m Catamaran Fast Crew Boat (FCB) fully compliant with the IMO HSC code and complete with a crew transfer system consisting of dynamic positioning equipment class (DP2) and a stabilized access platform.
This 70m Catamaran Fast Crew Boat will be delivered in 2014 to Caspian Marine Services Ltd (CMS) of Azerbaijan in a deal brokered by Maatsuyker.
Once in service the vessel will provide fast crew transfer and hot shot cargo services to multiple offshore platforms in the Azeri-Chirag-Deepwater Gunashli (ACG) field, the largest oil field in Azerbaijan sector of the Caspian Sea, and the Shah Deniz field. The oil and gas produced from these fields is transported by tanker for processing in Baku and then via pipeline through Georgia and Turkey to the Mediterranean port of Ceyhan or the Georgian port of Supsa in the Black Sea.
The 70m Catamaran Fast Crew Boat will provide rapid crew transfer vessel for up to 150 offshore workers in sea conditions of 3m significant wave height and 40 knots of wind. The 70m Catamaran FCB provides significant operational cost efficiency over helicopter transfer for both passengers and hot shot cargo.
Offshore workers are accommodated on both the main deck and mid-deck, with the mid-deck also featuring 14 ILO compliant crew accommodation cabins. The main deck features VIP rooms, vending machines, luggage space and a large workshop.
Crew transfer is completed primarily by a stabilized access platform, providing a level platform and gangway to access the offshore platform from the vessel. The access platform compensates for the vessels motion using 6 hydraulic cylinders. The vessel will hold station using dynamic positioning (DNV DYNPOS-AUTR) and, in combination with the stabilized access platform, crew transfers will be performed in up to sea state 4. This vessel is the first catamaran to have a stabilized access platform structure and supporting systems integrated into the design. For redundancy and operations in higher sea conditions, a crane lifted personnel transfer system is provided for up to 2 groups of 9 offshore workers.
The aft deck is over 400m² in size and it houses the stabilized access platform, a dedicated landing area for the crane lifted personnel transfer system, 10’ luggage containers and a hot 100m² hot shot cargo area rated at 2t/m². This capacity will allow the vessel to carry up to 110 tonnes of hot shot specialized equipment cargo to a range of 300nm at speeds up to 35 knots.
The hull design has been optimized to minimize sea sickness and to ensure that the offshore workers arrive at the platform fit for work. The high level of comfort on the 70m FCB will be achieved by the vessel’s advanced semi-SWATH hull form, a resiliently mounted main cabin & superstructure and an active ride control system consisting of T-Foil, interceptors and yaw stabilisers. The on-board noise, vibration and indoor climate will be in accordance with DNV comfort class notation.
Four MTU 16V4000 engines will power the vessel driving Hamilton HT-900 water jet propulsion with a service speed of 30 knots at full load condition and 90% MCR in sea state 4. Four azimuthing drop-down thrusters forward will be used for maneuvering and in DP-2 operation.
Safety of operation and environmental protection is a high priority; subsequently the environmental impact of the vessel’s emissions to air, discharges to sea, deliveries to shore from the vessel and protection against accidents are controlled and designed in accordance with environmental class. The safety of vessels operation is prioritized by the bridge design and navigational equipment compliance with nautical safety class.
