Stapem Offshore’s new catamaran dive support vessel (DSV) will undergo sea trials following the finalization process.
Stapem said on Thursday that the new vessel, named the Stapem Narval, would undergo sea trials in November.
The Stapem Narval is currently under finalization process at Legacy Marine’s yard in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.
During this testing phase, the vessel’s performance and general seaworthiness will be measured.
The company added that technical representatives from the builder, certification officials, and representatives of Stapem Offshore would be present to conduct and follow these tests.
Successful sea trials will subsequently lead to certification and commissioning with an expected delivery date of December 2018 in Angola.
Stapem Narval is the sister vessel of the Stapem Beluga DSV, delivered in January . Both vessels share the identical hull and superstructure layout, similar size, and roughly comparable features and equipment. According to the company, the vessels are suited for demanding offshore tasks that require a high degree of maneuverability and accuracy.
Both vessels were designed by Incat Crowther. Incat won a contract from Legacy Marine for the design of the two DSVs back in April 2017.
The main cabins in the DSVs have seating for fourteen persons and also an SL3 diving operations panel for monitoring dive operations. Achieving speeds in excess of 20 knots, the vessel is powered by two MAN D2876LE402 main engines, each coupled to a Hamilton HJ403 waterjet through ZF 360 gearboxes.
It is worth noting that the Stapem Beluga already had its inaugural mission when Total Exploration & Production Angola requested an inspection of the buoys and moorings used by surfers in Luanda Bay, in front of the Sonils dock.
Offshore Energy Today Staff