Modular approach for OSV 9020

Offshore Marine Technology: 1st Quarter 2020

Damen’s Offshore Support Vessel (OSV) 9020 concept has been devised to meet operator demand for customisation while sticking to a proven, standardised design.

Marc Couwenberg, Damen design and proposal engineer, reveals: “We were approached by several different operators, all looking for slightly different offshore capabilities – but similar enough that their requirements could be met with a conceptual standard platform." Throw in a hybrid diesel-electric power arrangement, plus the option for methanol-fuelled operations, and the vessel also offers the benefits of a reduced carbon footprint.

Designed to perform both surface-level and subsea support tasks,  the OSV 9020 was developed in modular fashion. “The vessel can be fitted with a moon pool-deployed saturation dive system, to allow diving operations,” Couwenberg continues. “[The OSV 9020] can also act as a submarine rescue vessel; for this, submarine rescue gear is placed on deck. To ensure suitability for this scope of work, the available vessel accommodation, manoeuvring systems and dive support systems are crucial features.”

A helideck has been integrated into the vessel’s design, and other options include: moon pool/over-the-side work-class ROV launch and recovery systems (LARS); a heave-compensated crane and A-frame, with a capacity of up to 200tonnes; a motion-compensated gangway, with or without an elevator; and a davit-launched, 12-man daughter craft.

Depending on the configuration selected, the OSV 9020 can offer 900m² of deck space. The vessel would accommodate up to 120 persons across 49 cabins and maintain position in sea state 5 conditions. The OSV is also intended to provide equally good ahead and astern performance. Damen states: “The four identical azimuthing thrusters are arranged symmetrically: two on the stern and two on the bow. This ensures maximum station-keeping performance while avoiding high noise levels in the accommodation.” 

The OSV 9020 would run on diesel generators supported by a battery pack. The vessel type can also use green methanol, which would slash well-to-propeller CO_² emissions by about 70%, Damen estimates. “Methanol is easy to handle safely on board, and is cost-efficient,” the company continues. “Additionally, methanol sacrifices very little design capacity so that the vessel does not need to be larger to achieve a similar endurance.”

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OSV 9020