Kongsberg Maritime has developed a mooring capable solution for Offshore Construction Vessels (OSCVs), expanding the capabilities of construction vessels to make them suitable for pre-laying of mooring lines.
By integrating a purpose designed anchor handling winch, shark jaws and stern rollers into the design of OSCVs at the newbuild stage, vessel owners can now equip their ships to perform a broader range of mooring operations, Kongsberg Maritime said.
This advancement allows OSCVs to handle more tasks independently, filling the shortage of vessels capable of large-scale mooring installations.
The new system allows OSCVs to carry out a larger portion of mooring operations, extending their operational window and reducing the need for additional vessels at the field.
The winch can either be permanently installed or portable and loaded on board only when needed. The shark jaws and stern rollers are permanently fitted to the ship.
With regards to field development and mooring installation, OSCVs are currently limited to setting large suction piles or driven piles into the seabed using onboard cranes and ROVs, without requiring additional vessel equipment. While some mooring lines can be installed using ad hoc methods, the new solution from Kongsberg Maritime means that OSCVs can perform these tasks safer and more efficiently.
"There will be a lack of vessels with subsea crane and sufficient deck area suited to support the planned high volume of both large anchors and mooring lines in the years to come. With the addition of this system, OSCVs become a more attractive and efficient solution, especially when there is a shortage of specialized mooring installation vessels.
“The Kongsberg proposed adjustments to construction vessel newbuilds will position them to take on a larger portion of mooring line installations,” said Runar Hjele, Sales Director, Offshore Construction & Support Kongsberg Maritime.