One step closer to completion

ON 21 JANUARY, DAMEN SHIPYARDS GROUP’S REVOLUTIONARY FAST CREW SUPPLIER (FCS) 7011 AQUA HELIX, WAS LAUNCHED INTO THE WATER AT DAMEN SHIPYARDS ANTALYA, TURKEY. THE VESSEL, HAILED AS A QUANTUM LEAP FORWARD IN MARINE ACCESS SOLUTIONS, IS THE RESULT OF CLOSE market consultaton. To meet the needs of an ofshore industry faced with consistently low oil prices, Damen has developed the FCS 7011 as a cost-efectve crew transportaton alternatve boastng robust safety characteristcs.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF DAMEN.

The constructon of the FCS 7011 has contnued throughout the coronavirus pandemic, with Damen implementng robust measures to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all involved with the project. Due to the ongoing nature of the pandemic, the launch was a very low-scale event instead of the large celebraton that would usually be held for such a momentous occasion.

The vessel is the largest ever to have been launched in Antalya Free Zone. On top of that, the launching was a very specifc operaton handled by two cranes which were transported by 50 trucks to setle on site, since the current launching facility is under re-constructon. Despite this, the launching remains a very important milestone in the development of the vessel

PRINCIPAL DIMENSIONS

ACCOMMODATION

73.4m 11.0m 4.5m 35.0m²

120-150 Up to 250 8-12

PERFORMANCE

40kn Cruising speed 35-37kn Workability Up to 3.0m signifcant wave height Station keeping DP2

and a signifcant step towards its completon. Following the conclusion of outitng actvites now taking place, the FCS 7011 will undergo sea trials of Antalya to test and demonstrate her capabilites. Following this, she will sail to the Netherlands where Ampelmann will install their gangway system, ready for fullyintegrated proof of concept trials in the North Sea.

To cut the costs of crew transfer, the FCS 7011 ofers the opportunity to transport up to 120 personnel in a single trip. This raises the prospect of a shif from day-rate structures towards a pay-per-journey model and potentally vessel sharing, thereby increasing the efciency of ofshore operatons. The FCS 7011’s design pays partcular atenton to on board comfort – in both transit and transfer. During transit, the vessel’s Sea Axe bow plays an important role, reducing slamming to a minimum. Meanwhile, the accommodaton is located just af of mid-ship – where pitching motons are barely experienced. Damen has incorporated interceptors to the vessel’s af to reduce both pitch and roll motons during sailing. Inside, passengers have luxurious reclining seatng with excellent visibility that helps connect them to the sea, enabling them to adjust and reducing the potental for seasickness.

To ensure that the theme of comfort contnues during people transfer, Damen has integrated numerous motoncompensatng technologies to achieve optmal results such as the Kongsberg DP system, the tailor-made Ampelmann gangway, VEEM gyrostabiliser, MTU main engines, Hamilton waterjets, Danfoss shaf generators, and Veth bow thrusters. Each of these components would usually be applied individually. Damen’s approach, which has been thoroughly tested via scaled models and simulatons, has been to focus on enhancing the interacton between each one, creatng a tghtly integrated advanced control system that allows each part to excel in its specifc task, resultng in a system greater than the sum of its parts. This will set new standards in the marine access market on a global scale.

In line with Damen’s aim of becoming the most digitalised shipbuilder, the FCS 7011 will also feature Damen Triton – a connected vessel platorm. With sensors located around the vessel, the platorm will collect informaton that will beneft operators, enabling remote monitoring, preventve maintenance, and efcient sailing, hence resultng in lower fuel consumpton and emissions.