For'd Thrusters

For'd Thrusters

GENERAL

GENERAL

For'd Thrusters

For'd Thrusters

For'd Thrusters

For'd Thrusters

For'd Thrusters

For'd Thrusters

For'd Thrusters

For'd Thrusters

The Russell Tide is a Rolls-Royce Ulstein 745 built at Soviknes in Norway and brought into service during the latter part of 1999 as the Ace Navigator. It was owned by the Japanese shipping company Sanko who used to be well known for their operation of large tankers with European crews. It was sold to Tidewater Inc during the summer of this year, and since then has been operating out of Aberdeen on the spot market.

This ship, and its sister vessel the Ace Nature are probably the ultimate development of the 745, and as usual when describing a modern offshore support vessel it is almost impossible to avoid using superlatives. This ship appears to be provided with more than enough of everything which might be required for it to operate in the North Sea. Vessels working in close proximity to North Sea platforms and rigs need plenty of power. On the Russell Tide the 9600 BHP is provided by two Ulstein Bergen diesels housed in an engine room virtually beneath the accommodation. As well as providing propulsion these engines also power two shaft generators which are situated at the aft end of what used to be called the Cement Room. It is difficult to know what it might be called today. It is a long space containing eight dry bulk tanks, or at least the bottoms of eight dry bulk tanks, the tops of these tanks are one deck up at the same level as the stability tanks in the after part. The cement tanks are so close together at the upper level that even a slim human cannot squeeze between them, the only way to get to the next space is to go back down the ladder to the lower deck and then up the next ladder.

On the periphery of the Cement Room the edges of the mud tanks can be seen. There are eight of these, embedded, Norwegian style in the tanks which form the double skin on the sides of the hull. The mud tanks have a capacity of 4476 barrels (710 m3), which is the sort of quantity required to drill a well in very deep water. Traditionally a well in the central North Sea might require 2000 barrels in total, although vessels such as the Russell Tide might be required to deliver products to several locations.

Apparently the most important single requirement when considering the hiring of a platform ship is deck space, and the delineation between a small platform ship and a large platform ship is 600 m2. The Russell Tide has a deck area of 973.5 m2. The second most important this of course is the day rate.

All platform ships constructed during the last two or three years seem to have their eye on the cable. or ROV market, and this vessel's sister has become an ROV mother ship. In addition to the DP capability of which more later, a large number of berths must be provided. The Russell Tide has eight single berth cabins nine two man cabins and five four man cabins. This is accommodation for 46 persons in all. The accommodation is well constructed but possibly a little more Spartan that offshore personnel have become accustomed to. Apparently this is due to the Japanese influence.

The bridge is comprehensively equipped. In the centre of the wheelhouse is a Kongsberg DP console featuring a duplicated system. It is capable of interfacing with DGPS, Fan beam and HiPAP, which is an interface with acoustic beacons laid on the seabed. In addition there is an Ulstein Tank Tender System which is duplicated in the Engine Control Room. This allows all aspects of loading and discharge of bulk liquids and solids to be controlled from either position. The owners, recognising the difficulties the master or mate might have while manoeuvring the ship and trying to operate the discharge system at the same time, have assigned enough deck officers to allow the peripheral services to be controlled while the driver concentrates on maintaining station alongside oil rigs. Owners of offshore installations might take comfort from this approach. Some operators consider that support vessel collisions with their structures may often be attributed to inadequate supervision of DP systems.

In addition the Russell Tide is carrying six cadets, sponsored by Tidewater and provided by Clyde Marine. Everyone associated with the UK merchant fleet, or indeed the world merchant fleet should be heartened by such a move which might ensure the availability of officers during the next decade. Back in the 1960s it was said that only one in ten deck apprentices who went to sea actually stayed long enough to become masters. In hindsight this hardly seems surprising since a career at sea meant just that. Today conditions are quite different so the percentage might at least double.

The control systems on the bridge which, in addition to the DP system, include a Poscon joystick and a full set of levers and buttons both forward and aft, operate two CP propellers together with flap rudders, two tunnel thrusters aft each of 660 kW, one tunnel thruster forward of 883 kW and an azimuthing thruster also of 883 kW. Despite the disadvantages of the a thruster which must be retracted into the hull before the ship enters port, azimuthing thrusters in the bow continue to be popular possibly because they are less likely to draw air as the ship pitches.

The Russell Tide is shortly to depart in the direction of West Africa where she is to take up a contract supporting the drillship "Saipem 10,000," and there-after will follow that vessel to other parts of the world probably starting with Brazil. One assumes that in more benign waters all that wonderful positioning equipment will become more or less redundant since the vessel will be able to tie up alongside the drillship and switch everything off, however until her departure she will work the Aberdeen spot market and will continue to demonstrate the extraordinary capabilities of the 745 as the North Sea winter approaches.

Originally written for the Offshore Support Journal in Sept 2000.

For'd Thrusters

For'd Thrusters

TYPE: KMAR 404

NAME: Howard Hogue

PHOTO:

TYPE: KMAR 404

NAME: Billy Joe Ramey

PHOTO:

TYPE: KMAR 404

NAME: McNee Tide

PHOTO: George Craigen

TYPE: KMAR 404

NAME: Ray J Hope

PHOTO: James McLellan