Abu Dhabi based National Petroleum Construction Company Ltd. (NPCC) has awarded Dutch design office Ulstein Sea of Solutions the Basic Design contract for their new large derrick pipelay vessel DLS-4200. The new vessel will be one of the biggest vessels of its kind, combining S-lay double joints pipelay operations with 4,200 sT lifting capacity.
The design of the vessel is a modified version of the SOC 3000 design of Ulstein Sea of Solutions (USOS) and will be equipped with an Amclyde Model 80 crane. DLS-4200 is designed to operate worldwide, but will initially be equipped with a mooring system to operate in the Arabian Gulf and India. However, a future DP2 upgrade is envisaged and catered for in the design to minimise the technical impact in the future. “We are pleased to be awarded this Basic Design contract by NPCC as it is the result of a careful evaluation by NPCC to renew and expand their fleet to operate outside their traditional market”, says Bob Rietveldt, managing director at Ulstein Sea of Solutions. The vessel features two fixed pitch shaft driven main propellers of 5,500 kW each which will allow for a sailing speed of 12-13 knots. For future DP upgrade five (5) retractable azimuth thrusters of 3,500 kW each are required. The Amclyde main crane is capable of lifting 4,200 sT (3,800 mT) at a 125 ft radius over the stern in tie-back mode and 4,200 sT at 95 ft without tie-back. In full revolving mode the crane is able to lift 2,950 sT (2,680 mT) with an outreach of 135 ft.