A new ship, presented last week at Damen in Amsterdam, should offer offshore personnel more comfort.

We are increasingly dependent on offshore extraction for our energy supply. All those offshore energy projects together generate a lot of movement of personnel and equipment, whether during construction or later for maintenance.

Shipbuilder Damen and Windcat, an IJmuiden-based subsidiary of Belgian shipping group CMB.TECH that specialises in the offshore transportation of crews, therefore recently presented the Windcat Amsterdam.

Floating boutique hotel

The Vietnamese-built vessel is a so-called commissioning service operations vessel, or CSOV. As a base of operations for personnel, it is often located in an offshore wind farm for long periods of time.

It is therefore designed as a floating boutique hotel, says Willem van der Wel, managing director of Windcat during a tour. The single and double cabins on board together accommodate up to 120 people, for whom gaming rooms, a fitness room and a cinema have also been set up. The ceilings in the dining room are black - which looks extra homely, say the creators.

Willem van der Wel, algemeen directeur van Windcat, op het helidek van het nieuwe werkschip dat ligt aangemeerd bij scheepswerf Damen in Amsterdam-Noord. Foto: De Ingenieur

Diesel-electric

The 90-metre vessel features a hybrid, battery-powered diesel-electric propulsion system, with an additional auxiliary generator that can run on hydrogen thanks to a dual fuel engine. The four rudder propellers can rotate 360 degrees, enabling extra-precise manoeuvring.

The ship can stay at sea continuously for a month and has a desalination plant on board, reducing the need to carry drinking water.

The gangway compensates for the movement of waves, increasing safety and deployability. In addition, according to its makers, the ship contains the world's first ten-tonne 3D motion-compensated crane, which allows heavier loads to be lifted safely and easily - even in rough seas.


Photo: Damen