THE GLOBAL MAGAZINE FOR MARINE CUSTOMERS

ISSUE 26 2015

LEAN
THINKING

INSIDE THE
REVOLUTIONARY
LEAN RORO
CONCEPT

BLADE
RUNNERS

NEW UT VESSEL DESIGN TO SERVICE

OFFSHORE WINDFARM MARKET
INSIDE

M A R I N E N E W S A N D D E V E L O P M E N T S / T E C H N O L O G Y / U P D AT E S / C U S T O M E R S U P P O R T

W E LC O M E

TODAYS CHALLENGES
DRIVE TOMORROWS
OPPORTUNITIES
MIKAEL MKINEN, PRESIDENT MARINE, ROLLS-ROYCE

The resilience of those in our industry comes to the fore when times are tough.
Even in a time of market challenges, Rolls-Royce is looking to the future
by increasing its investment in research and development

The past year and a half has been

extremely challenging for us all, and
while the impact of low oil prices
has forced many companies to act
rapidly in adjusting the shape of
their businesses or the scale of their
investments today, it has also forced
a more detailed look into the future.
For Rolls-Royce, the future
provides a wealth of opportunity.
Global population growth will drive
the demand for power, for travel
and for the shipment of goods,
and against that backdrop, the
maritime industry will play its part in
supporting that growth and meeting
the demands of a growing world.
In recent years, weve been
transforming our Marine business,
doing all the things any responsible
business should do reducing
costs, cutting out waste and
generally going about business in
an increasingly efficient way. But in
recent months, and with our eyes

fixed firmly on the future, were also

increasing our investment in research
and development.
Innovation is part of our DNA
at Rolls-Royce, and while we, like
many of you, are navigating our
way through difficult waters, were
committed to developing the
technology of tomorrow.
Thats why well be significantly
increasing our investment in research
and development over the next
two years, with a focus on ship
intelligence and the use of big data
in our products. These areas will
allow our customers to monitor and
manage their assets in real time, and
get the best return on investment.
Clean, efficient and intelligent
ships are likely to form a growing
proportion of the worlds fleets, and
were investing more in developing
smart systems. So, while taking the
time to focus on what the future of
shipping will look like is not only a

THE GLOBAL MAGAZINE FOR MARINE CUSTOMERS

ISSUE 26 2015

LEAN
THINKING

INSIDE THE
REVOLUTIONARY
LEAN RORO
CONCEPT

BLADE
RUNNERS

NEW UT VESSEL DESIGN TO SERVICE

OFFSHORE WINDFARM MARKET
INSIDE

M A R I N E N E W S A N D D E V E L O P M E N T S / T E C H N O L O G Y / U P D AT E S / C U S T O M E R S U P P O R T

COVER: Rolls-Royce has

designed a new family
of flexible UT support
vessels to service the
growing offshore wind
energy market.

welcome break from todays market

challenges, it also helps us to shape
how well meet the needs of our
customers in a substantially different
way than we do now.
Todays market conditions also
make us think about how we best
deploy our resources. Weve had
some recent success, particularly
in the field of designing advanced
ships. Our ship design heritage
predominantly lies in the field of
offshore vessels, but weve taken that
experience and expertise to open
up new market opportunities. One
of those is in offshore wind energy,
which is now beginning to move
increasingly into deeper waters.
Weve recently designed our
first support vessel for this exciting
market, taking the best of our UT
design and adapting it for a different
but equally demanding operation.
You can read more about how were
serving this sector in this issue.
03

CONTENTS

GET IN TOUCH
Our offices and sector contacts, as well
as key websites and portals, are listed
on the inside back cover

ISSUE 26 2015

07

34

12

18

30

22

36

20

10

14

32

26

NEWS AND FEATURES

03 WELCOME
Rolls-Royce is looking to the future by
increasing its investment in research
and development, says Mikael
Mkinen, President Marine

06 NEWS ROUND UP
The latest developments from
the world of Rolls-Royce

INTERVIEW
10 PLAY THE LONG GAME
In-depth sits down to talk about
investment and strategy for the long
term with Hugh Clayton, Director
of Engineering and Technology for
Land & Sea
04

ABOUT
TECHNOLOGY
12 LEAN FUTURE
Rolls-Royce is combining fresh
thinking in roro vessel design with
technologies that can reduce crew
size and help operators realise
significant cost savings

14 NEW FRONTIERS
As the offshore wind energy market
grows, a new UT design family of flexible
vessels is prepared to maintain the
windfarms

18 PERFECTING THE
PROPELLER
Rolls-Royce calls upon its hydrodynamic

experience to find a design solution

that ensures the ultimate experience
for cruise passengers

UPDATES

CUSTOMER SUPPORT

20 READY FOR LAUNCH

26 FISHERMENS FRIENDS

34 SERVING CHINA

When fishing companies upgrade their

vessels, their demands mean they turn
to Rolls-Royce for the solutions

Rolls-Royce continues to grow the

services it offers to customers in
China from four service locations
along the coast

Rolls-Royce expertise is behind the

development of an innovative mission
bay handling system, tailored for the
next generation of naval platforms and
offshore patrol vessels

30 POLAR PUSH

CUSTOMER FOCUS

The need for vessels to operate in polar

regions is increasing, but operating
in such extremes requires the best
technology

22 CATCH THE WIND

32 WORKING BETTER DEEPER

The need for dependable technology to

ensure safe and consistent operations
is essential to operators of windfarm
support vessels such as Seacat Services

The latest offshore knuckleboom

crane is equipped with fibre rope,
significantly improving lifting
performance at depth

Opinions expressed may not necessarily represent the views of

Rolls-Royce or the editorial team. The publishers cannot accept
liability for errors or omissions. All photographs Rolls-Royce
plc unless otherwise stated. In which case copyright owned by
photographer/organisation.
EDITOR: Andrew Rice
DESIGNED AND PRODUCED BY: Connect Publications Ltd
CONTRIBUTORS: SK Simon Kirby; OL Oskar Levander
AR Andrew Rice; PW Patrik Wheater; RW Richard White
If your details have changed or if you wish to receive a regular
complimentary copy of In-depth please email us at:
in.depth@rolls-royce.com
Printed in the UK.

36 REPOWERING SEAWELL
Following planned maintenance, the
pioneering well intervention vessel
Seawell has been fitted with six Bergen
C25:33L8ACS generator sets

38 ACROSS AFRICA
Rolls-Royce now has service
centres located at key ports along
West Africas coast

Rolls-Royce plc 2015

The information in this document is the property of Rolls-Royce plc
and may not be copied, communicated to a third party, or used for
any purpose other than that for which it is supplied, without the
express written consent of Rolls-Royce plc.
While the information is given in good faith, based upon the
latest information available to Rolls-Royce plc, no warranty or
representation is given concerning such information, which
must not be taken as establishing any contractual or other
commitment binding upon Rolls-Royce plc or any of its subsidiary
or associated companies.

05

NEWS

Third Freedom
variant joins
the fleet
Digital
To see a video of
the opening of
the Las Palmas
facility, download
the In-depth app
from iTunes or
Googleplay

LEFT: The torque test rig can accommodate the largest UUC
thrusters. ABOVE: Exterior view of the new service facility.
BELOW: The 60-tonne cranes service the entire 2,100m
workshop.

The US Navy accepted delivery of

the Rolls-Royce powered future USS
Milwaukee (LCS 5) during a ceremony
at the Marinette Marine Corporation
shipyard on 16 October.
Milwaukee is the sixth Littoral
Combat Ship (LCS) to be delivered
to the Navy and the third of the

Freedom variant to join the fleet.

Rolls-Royce provides power and
propulsion systems for the LCS
combining the MT30 gas turbine
and our latest waterjet technology to
ensure these ships are at the cutting
edge of global naval capability.
In addition to gas turbines and
waterjets, a significant range of
Rolls-Royce equipment is specified
in the Lockheed Martin design,
including shaftlines, bearings and
propulsion system software.

The US Navy accepted delivery of

the Rolls-Royce powered future
USS Milwaukee.
Courtesy: Lockheed Martin

New Las Palmas

workshop opens

olls-Royce has opened a custombuilt 2,100m2 service facility at the

Astican Shipyard in Las Palmas, on
Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands.
The centre is a partnership between RollsRoyce and the shipyard.
Las Palmas position in the Atlantic allows
Rolls-Royce and Astican to enhance their
support to rig and drillship owners who
are undertaking ongoing exploration,
production and development operations
offshore Europe, Africa and the Americas.
The centre will also service future growth in
the offshore supply and service market as
well as the fisheries sector.
Located close to the waterfront that can
accept rigs and vessels, the new centre
gives shipowners and operators easy access

to the facilities and expertise needed to

service and overhaul the complete range
of Rolls-Royce equipment. This includes the
ability to simultaneously recondition up to
six large UUC azimuth thrusters at a time.
A unique feature of the new facility is the
purpose-built torque test rig that can test
the largest underwater mountable units
under load conditions following overhaul,
so ensuring they meet factory build quality
standards for the key internal components
to deliver the best possible reliability.
Customers will also be able to benefit
from Asticans extensive ship repair and
conversion facilities, located nearby.
Andy Marsh, President Services Marine,
said: The Canary Islands are an important
location for the offshore industry and

this new facility and our partnership with

Astican will allow us to get closer to our
customers and give them an unparalleled
level of service, helping them get the most
from their vessels.
Las Palmas is the latest member of the
Rolls-Royce worldwide network of service
workshops.
We are always interested in saving cost
and time and having a facility like this
will save us both, said Ron Smith, Project
Superintendent, Stena Drilling. We can do
overhauls instantly here and we can save
the time transporting rigs to Europe.
The service centre manager is
Nils-Reider Valle.
For more information email:
nils-reidar.valle@rolls-royce.com

New windfarm ship order

Rolls-Royce has been selected to
design and equip a new Service
Operation Vessel for shipowner
stensj Rederi. The vessel will support
windfarm operations for DONG Energy.
The order is the first for a new ship

06

design from Rolls-Royce developed

specifically to support operations in
shallow waters at offshore windfarms.
Read more about Rolls-Royce
applications in the windfarm
sector on page 14

ABOVE: The new ship is designed specifically to support

operations in shallow waters at offshore windfarms.

Milestone for
HMS Queen Elizabeth
A successful light-off has been
achieved for both the MT30 gas
turbine alternators (GTAs) for HMS
Queen Elizabeth, the first ship of the
Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers
and the first UK vessel to be powered
by MT30.
The two installed GTAs, combined
with the four diesel generators, will
supply the high-voltage electrical

power to the ship, driving the

propulsion motors and providing
power to the weapons, mission
and navigation systems as well as
the hotel services required to run
the ship.
This successful milestone
achievement is significant as it
enables Rolls-Royce to progress to
power and propulsion integration

and reversionary mode trials early

next year prior to commencing sea
trials in quarter four, 2016.
Rolls-Royce, along with Thales UK,
GE Power Conversion and L3 UK, is a
member of the Power and Propulsion
Sub-Alliance responsible for the
design, procurement, manufacture,
integration and test and delivery of
the power and propulsion system.
As well as the MT30 GTAs,
Rolls-Royce is responsible for
supplying adjustable bolted
propellers and shaftlines, steering
gear and rudders, retractable
stabilisers and electrical
distribution system.

ABOVE: The
two MT30 GTAs
installed on HMS
Queen Elizabeth
have achieved
a significant
milestone.

07

NEWS

New design award

for Unified Bridge

Gas engines
for onboard
power
generation
Rolls-Royce has secured
a contract with Keppel
Shipyard in Singapore to
supply two all-gas engines
for power generation onboard a Floating Liquefaction
Vessel (FLNGV) owned by
Golar LNG Ltd. The vessel
Hilli was a former LNG carrier
and is being converted to a
FLNGV carrier.
Bergen B35:40V20AG is
a compact and powerful
gas engine with worldleading environmental
performance in terms of
low emissions of NOx, CO2,
SOx and particulates. The
energy consumption is also
low, helping Rolls-Royce
to win the bid by offering
a more efficient all-gas
solution compared to dualfuel options. The power
generated will be mainly
used for the liquefaction
processes, and also for
supporting vessel operation
and the energy needs of the
crew onboard.
Richard Bowcutt, SVP
Commercial Marine Asia
Pacific, said: The contract
awarded by Keppel is
recognition of the costefficiency of our engines
and demonstrates the
faith that the market has
in our innovative single-fuel
LNG solutions.

08

Advanced UT design for

China Oilfield Services
One of the worlds most advanced
offshore support vessels, a
Rolls-Royce-designed UT 788 CD
built by Wuchang Shipbuilding, has
been delivered to China Oilfield
Services (COSL).
This cements Chinas capability
as a provider of high-value, specialist
tonnage to the sector.
The Hai Yang Shi You 691 is
the second of two UT 788 CD
multi-functional support vessels
ordered by COSL and will now
deploy to the South China Sea
in support of Chinas first-ever
semi-submersible oil platform,
the CNOOC-operated Hai Yang
Shi You 981.
The Hai Yang Shi You 691, one of
the largest multi-purpose subsea
construction and anchorhandling
vessels to come from the UT stable,

features a Rolls-Royce hybrid

propulsion package that includes
an emissions-reducing hybrid
propulsion system that delivers
overall energy savings.
With a bollard pull of 230
tonnes, the vessel series has been
specially designed and equipped
for the safe handling of anchors and
mooring lines in water depths
down to 3,000 metres and is
equipped with a remotely operated
vehicle (ROV). The vessel is also
equipped for supply and towing
duties and supporting tanker
loading operations.
The Hai Yang Shi You 691 is further
equipped with a 100t active heave
compensated subsea crane, a 250
tonne A-frame and a 22m wide
helicopter deck to accommodate
larger helicopters.

ABOVE: China Oilfield

Services (COSL) takes
delivery of Hai Yang
Shi You 691, one of the
worlds most advanced
offshore support
vessels.

The Rolls-Royce Unified

Bridge Design has won this
years Ergonomics Design
Award, presented by the
UK Chartered Institute
of Ergonomics & Human
Factors. The award recognises
industrial design that puts
the customer at the heart of
the process using their views
to generate ideas, develop
concepts and test prototypes
and finished products.
The Unified Bridge is a
complete redesign of the
ship bridge environment,
including consoles, levers
and software interfaces, done
using a user-centred design
process resulting in a more
comfortable, clutter-free and,

ultimately, more safe and

efficient working environment.
Interviews with operators
and visits to several different
types of vessels, as well as
onboard observations of real
life platform supply operations
in the North Sea, were carried
out in order to understand the
work environment and gain
insight into life at sea.
Realistic simulations in a
virtual environment were
carried out at the Rolls-Royce
Training and Technology
Centre in lesund, Norway
to investigate operator
interaction with equipment,
identifying which functions
were vital and which could
be removed or merged in

order to
improve
operator
performance.
The results of this research
informed the development of
the bridge consoles. Several
different prototype iterations
of bridge consoles were
developed, starting with the
use of basic components such
as cardboard and sticky notes
before moving to polystyrene
models and then a full-scale
plastic replica which was
unveiled at the Nor-Shipping
convention in Oslo in May
2011. User feedback based
on the plastic prototype was
important in the development
of prototype consoles.

also includes a tunnel thruster, automation,

and winches. The vessel will be equipped
with fishing winches driven by permanent
magnet (PM) motors. The contract is one of
the first for this Rolls-Royce technology.

Rolls-Royce has signed

a contract with Huangpu
Wenchong Shipyard
in China for a package
of advanced ship
equipment for a new
124-metre long Dive
Support Vessel (DSV).
The vessel will be
designed by Skipsteknisk
in Norway, and is to be
delivered in 2017 to its
owner, Singapore-based
Jumeira Offshore Pte. Ltd.
It will be equipped with
the latest control system
for dynamic positioning
(DP3) as well as four of
the latest Bergen B33:45
generating sets.

iPad on its way to

In-depth reader
The Rolls-Royce
Unified Bridge Design
has won another
prestigious award.

Rolls-Royce to design advanced stern trawler

Shipbuilding company VARD Group AS in
Norway has announced a contract for a
shrimp stern trawler to be designed and
equipped by Rolls-Royce. The vessel has
been ordered by a Canadian company.
The vessel is of Rolls-Royce NVC 374
design and will be about 80 metres long.
It will be equipped with a range of RollsRoyce equipment, including a B33:45 main
engine, Promas propulsion, and a Bergen
B power electric system with hybrid shaft
generator (HSG). The Rolls-Royce package

Dive
Support
Vessel
contract

Marine
Events 2016

Rolls-Royce will be attending these

events. For more information,
please contact: Donna Wightman,
Head of Global Events.
donna.wightman@rolls-royce.com

Jan

11-13
Electric & Hybrid
Marine World
Expo, Fort
Lauderdale, USA
12-14
Surface Navy
Association,
Crystal City,
USA

March

15-17
Oceanology,
London, UK
16-18
Asia Pacific
Maritime,
Singapore
28-31
Defexpo,
Goa, India

Congratulations to Steve Warren

from Gulf Oil Marine, who was
selected randomly from the
many participants in our recent
readership survey to receive an
iPad mini. Thanks to everyone
for taking part and for your
invaluable feedback.

May

2-5
OTC, Houston,
USA
16-18
Sea Air Space,
National Harbor,
USA
25-26
CANSEC, Ottawa,
Canada

09

INTERVIEW

Play the long

GAME
In-depth talks strategy and investment
with Hugh Clayton, Director of Engineering
and Technology for the Land & Sea Division
of Rolls-Royce

You joined Rolls-Royce from

ABB in 2012. How has your
experience shaped your
approach to your role here?
At ABB they lived and breathed
the slogan think global, act local.
Local teams were empowered and
expected to execute and fully deliver
their role in the companys global
strategy. As a consequence, I became
convinced of the value of setting
up teams with clear goals and the
authority and autonomy to deliver a
programme; whether that is a project
for a customer or a new piece of
cutting-edge technology.
What do you see as the main
challenges facing our business?
The market environment is currently
difficult, with order books and prices
under pressure. But the market
will recover and we want to be in
a strong position when it does. At
that point we want to be a leading
supplier in each of our key areas of
technology. So, we have to balance
the need to be cost competitive
with a strategic decision to invest in
some key areas of our technology;
propulsion technology, electrical
systems and ship intelligence as
well as increasing our investment to
sustain our core other product areas.
How should we respond?
We need to cut our costs
aggressively, make a strategic
10

decision as to where we want to

invest in terms of technologies and
capabilities and transform how
we engage with and collaborate
with our customers. Helping them
to operate more efficiently and
effectively to do more with less is
going to be critical. Technology will
play a crucial part in that.
For example, in the North Sea we
are working with Golden Energy
Offshore to optimise the fuel and
energy usage aboard their two
Rolls-Royce UT 776 PSVs. Our
Acon Energy Monitoring system
captures data on board, transfers
it ashore, processes it and displays
it graphically. This allows the
operator to view the detailed energy
consumption performance of their
vessels and take action. This results
in significant fuel savings and helps
them to be more competitive.
Given the range of technology
and expertise available in
Rolls-Royce, how do you decide
what is important?
Developing a deep understanding
of what customers want and need
not just today, but tomorrow and the
day after, and understanding what
the technology can do and what the
competition is offering is vital. The
goal is then to meet those needs
with unique products, services and
technologies.
Our Unified Bridge was developed

COLLABORATION
Developing a deep
understanding of what
customers want and
need not just today,
but tomorrow and the
day after, is vital.

following interviews with operators

and visits to different vessels, as well
as onboard observations of platform
supply operations in the North Sea.
When the first Unified Bridge left
port in August 2014 on board the
Simon Mkster Shipping platform
supply vessel Stril Luna, the operators
were equipped with user experience
assessment folders, so the product
can be developed and further
improved.
The other advantage we have
is our ability to provide integrated
power and propulsion systems. We
have world-class expertise in the
development and manufacture of
both gas turbine and reciprocating
engines and the ability to turn the
energy they create into useful work
that powers the US Navys Freedom
Class Littoral Combat Ship to speeds
in excess of 40kts and provides the
100+ megawatts needed to power
the 65,000 tonne Queen Elizabeth
Class aircraft carriers or drive
motorised winches offering high

torque at low speed, sensitive control

and rapid changes in pull and speed
ideal for the towing and anchoring of
large oil platforms.
Rolls-Royce Marine announced
an increase in R&D investment in
2016 where will the money go?
The investment is being focussed
on a number of areas for which we
have robust plans. Were looking to
make game-changing investments
in propulsion technology, electrical
systems and intelligent systems.
Were also looking to increase
R&D investment to maintain the
competitive advantage of our
product range. Making a decision to
increase significantly R&D investment
is a strong signal of our belief in the
long-term value and future of the
marine business.
Where do you think we will see
the first results?
The electrical and propulsion
programme is already delivering. We

INVESTMENT
Were looking to
make game-changing
investments in
propulsion technology,
electrical systems and
intelligent systems.

have permanent magnet systems

on sea trials driving azimuthing
thrusters and deck machinery. Our
wiring up the fleet programme is
making progress, with our experts
analysing the first equipment health
monitoring data coming back from
operational ships and beginning to
add value to customers operations.
As Director of Engineering for
the Land & Sea Division, what
technologies do you see that
have potential for Marine?
The first is Engines. The Bergen
business is now an integral part of
Rolls-Royce Power Systems (RRPS).
We sometimes forget that
Rolls-Royce is one of the worlds
largest suppliers of marine
propulsion systems offering world
class high speed to medium speed
marine reciprocating engines and
marine gas turbines. Integrating RRPS
engines into the systems we supply
is critical for the future. Increased
collaboration between our RRPS and

Naval teams on propulsion systems is

critically important.
The other important area is
Equipment Health Monitoring (EHM).
Different parts of Rolls-Royce will
use data from equipment in service
in different ways. However, the
underlying architecture we use can
be common. A common solution
not just across the Land and Sea
Division but across the whole of
Rolls-Royce will increase efficiency
and effectiveness.
Whats the best part of your job?
Ive got one of the best jobs possible,
developing great technologies
in applications I find interesting,
working with motivated and smart
people from around the world.
What do you do to unwind
Im renovating an old house, which
tests both my project management
skills and my basic builders skills. I
also like the outdoors, climbing hills,
cycling or fly fishing.
11

T E C H N O LO G Y

LEAN
FUTURE

By combining fresh thinking in roro vessel design with technologies that will
gradually reduce crew size as more ship-board operations move to shore, there
is potential for operators to realise significant cost savings. Oskar Levander
discusses an example of how it could work in practice

he benefits of increased
ship intelligence are
clear and numerous. The
amount of data is steadily
increasing (a 1,000-fold
increase in data storage
is forecast in the next decade) and
tools are already available to measure,
analyse, provide support for decisionmaking and permit the control of
different functions and services on
board. Embracing all these tools will
allow us to make ships more efficient
and leaner, and remote support
and operation, combined with an
increased level of automation, will
allow ships to function with less crew.
Rolls-Royce is developing the
capability to harness the data and
create the right tools for marine

The Lean roro concept

seeks to explore the
potential for lower
annual ownership
and operating
costs by thinking
differently about
vessel design and the
impact developing
technologies could
have on crew size.

12

ABOVE: Vice-president
of Innovation,
Engineering and
Technology, Marine,
Oskar Levander is one
of the most-respected
figures in the maritime
industry and is a
leading proponent of
unmanned ships and
the efficiencies they
can bring to operators.

applications. For unmanned ships to

become a reality, the technology will
have to steadily evolve. There will be
many steps on the journey, but these
steps must be in line with reality
and the willingness of operators to
embrace emerging technologies
while managing the level of risk.
As routes are well-known and
fairly short, with journeys repetitive,
the roro market could see remote
operations have a real impact. Many
ships currently on these routes are
old and in need of replacement,
but building new ships is difficult to
justify and finance. To maintain and
hopefully increase traffic on these
smaller routes, a new approach and
design philosophy is needed.
This could stimulate new-build

opportunities and enable the

industry to provide more efficient
and environmentally sound vessels.
The Blue Ocean team within
Rolls-Royce tackled this challenge
with its Lean roro concept, where
operators can lower their costs in
several ways. Crew could consist of
just having one person on the bridge
at all times, with three personnel
in rotating shifts. Automatic lookout will enable the single-person
approach, with decision support,
including object detection, analytic
intelligence and sensor fusion,
including the use of radar, camera,
infrared camera, light detection
and ranging (LIDAR) and automatic
identification systems (AIS).
Machinery would be monitored

remotely, combined with expert

support from the control centre
on shore. Mooring would be
automated and, with fewer crew,
pre-prepared meals will be packed
on land. Facilities would be cleaned
and washing done in port. Fuel
costs would also fall, with a modern,
lightweight ship operating at modest
speeds and high efficiency on LNG.
The Lean roro concept would
allow the machinery arrangement
to be simplified in line with the ship
design and requires 7MW of power
for a service speed of 17 knots. The
system selected was referenced
against two vessels. Vessel: (1) a
second-hand vessel dating from
the mid-1990s, with more installed
power than needed, and (2) a
conventional new build with around
8MW of power. By contrast, the Lean
roro system, with 7MW of power,
would be powered by two eight
cylinder 3,500kW Bergen B35:40
pure gas engines with a hybrid shaft
generator driving efficient Promas
propellers, and a single MTU 8V4000
M24S auxiliary diesel of 895kW.
Pure LNG engines need fewer
on-board systems, and hybrid shaft
generation means fewer engines
required to maintain propulsion
and hotel electric power. Other
improvements, while keeping the
same cargo load, would come from
the designs of ship and propellers.
The Lean approach could also
slash build costs. A single cargo
deck would require no internal and

ANNUAL OPERATING COSTS

10 M
9 M
8 M
7 M
6 M
5 M

Lean
roro

4 M

Conv.
new-build
roro

Secondhand
roro

3 M
2 M
1 M
0 M
CAPEX

ABOVE: Operators who

embrace the Lean roro
model will realise a
considerable saving
in annual operating
costs. The chart shows
an estimate of total
annual costs for the
three options (with
second-hand value
assumed to be 50
per cent of new
build and capital
expenditure over
10 years with seven
per cent interest).

BELOW: A wider single

cargo deck would
mean no internal roro
ramps, making the
vessel lighter as well as
being easier and less
expensive to build.

OPEX

expensive roro ramps and, not being

enclosed, would be easier to build.
With all cargo on the main deck,
no internal ramps and a wide stern
allowing access to nine lanes, loading
and unloading would be faster.
The main dimensions would be
larger than conventional vessels. Beam
would be the main difference, growing
as a result of more lanes on the cargo
deck. The weight of steel and the
volume (GT) would still be less than
for a conventional roro, for lower build
costs and tonnage related fees.
Certain ship systems could be
minimised or removed. A Lean roro
vessel would not require a steam
system or a diesel system as it would
be fuelled by LNG. The deck house

would be smaller, with heating, air

conditioning (HVAC) and ventilation
running from direct electricity.
The Lean roro concept could save
operators more than 50 per cent in
crew costs, assuming one person on
the bridge at all times, with a threeperson rotating shift, supported by
one multi-role mechanic deckhand.
Capital costs would be lower
as less steel would be used. There
would be only the equipment
required for a single deck, smaller
accommodation areas and fewer,
more efficient systems. The
installation of the LNG storage
system would mean additional
spend, although fuel costs compared
with marine gas oil (MGO) would
be nearly half that of an equivalent
second-hand roro vessel.
Total annual operating costs for a
lean roro vessel are likely to be in the
region of 3.75 million compared
with 5.4m for a conventional new
build roro and around 6.4m for a
second-hand vessel. CAPEX costs
would be in the region of 3m lower
than a conventional new build, with
the market dictating the price of
the second-hand vessel. The Lean
approach has a lower total cost
than both alternatives and enables
operators to review the economics of
competing options, and identify the
best fit for their operations.
Rulemakers, for their part, must be
prepared to look at and identify the
areas of vessel operation where the
possibilities of intelligent applications
could play a role in reducing crew
numbers, and look again at the rules,
with a view to adapting them.
Operators would then need to
embrace the technology to turn the
vision into a reality. As the industry
looks to become ever more costcompetitive at a time of reduced
margins, adapting new technologies
and managing the risks could be
rewarding, but would need real
commitment from regulator and
operator alike. Tailoring the Lean
roro concept for shorter sea routes
could be the starting point for a fresh
approach. OL

FIND OUT MORE

oskar.levander@rolls-royce.com
13

T E C H N O LO G Y

Offshore wind energy is growing rapidly,

both in the size of individual wind turbines
and the number of turbines that make up
a windfarm and send electricity from this
renewable resource ashore to the power grid.
The vessels and ships that will maintain them
continue to evolve, and now include a new
UT design family of flexible vessels

14

NEW
FRONTIERS
M

ost of the windfarms

built offshore so far
have been in shallow
water quite close to
land. Commissioning
and subsequent maintenance and
overhaul requires technicians to be
transferred to the turbine towers and,
in these locations, this can be done
from small fast craft.
Now windfarms are being built
much further offshore in deeper water
and regions with greater wave heights.
Away from the coast, the winds tend
to be stronger and more constant,
good for power generation, but the
safe transfer of technicians becomes
more difficult. Commuting perhaps
hundreds of kilometres a day in small
fast boats to work on turbines would
be time consuming and tough on
the personnel.
Therefore, to support these
installations, a different approach is
needed and the solution lies in the

ship designs described here.

Technicians live on board their
Rolls-Royce UT 5400-series walk-towork windfarm support vessel in
comfort and with the amenities of a
good hotel. The vessel also takes them
from and to port at the start and finish
of a spell of duty, which might be a
fortnight or a month. Once in position
at the windfarm, the vessel moves
from tower to tower as required.
Maintenance technicians, equipped
with their tools on trolleys, walk to
work to the access platform of the
turbine over a level gangway, coming
home after their days work to eat,
sleep and relax on the vessel.
To date, three sizes of UT 5400-series
service operation vessel (SOV) have
been developed. Not all offshore
windfarms experience the same sea
conditions or need the same number
of technicians to maintain them.
So these latest UT designs cover a
spectrum of operator requirements,

BELOW:
Currently, three vessels
in the UT 5400 SOV
family have been
designed specifically
for windfarm support
to act as mother ship
for 20, 40, or 60 wind
turbine technicians.

primarily the number of technicians

that can be accommodated from
20 to 60 the logistics of transporting
and transferring equipment and
maintaining a stable position in the
prevailing weather environment while
stationed in the area.
The UT 5400-series SOVs have
been designed from the keel up to
satisfy the requirements for effective
windfarm support, and are not
modifications of existing offshore
vessel designs. They do, however,
reap the benefits of Rolls-Royce ship
design and equipment based on the
experience of designing a thousand
vessels that are working in tough
conditions. Particular attention has
been paid to motions in a seaway,
dynamic positioning, noise and
vibration reduction and efficient
propulsion in multiple modes.
A mid-range vessel in the series
is the UT 540 WP. Described here is
the generic type, but layouts and

15

T E C H N O LO G Y

THE UT 540 WP MEETS SPECIAL PURPOSE

SHIP RULES WITH ACCOMMODATION FOR
40 WIND-TURBINE TECHNICIANS PLUS A
SHIPS CREW OF 20

many design features are flexible, and

variations to meet the needs of specific
farms, regions and operators can be
easily accommodated.
There have long been discussions
on the status of people on board
who are not the ships crew, defined
as those carried for the purpose
of operating the vessel as a vessel.
Merchant vessels can normally carry
up to 12 passengers in addition to the
crew, but any more passengers and
the SOLAS rules apply. These involve
provision of lifeboats (in addition to
rescue craft), fire zone subdivision
and much else, as passengers are not
assumed to have marine knowledge
or training. The position of windfarm
technicians who live on the vessel at
sea carrying out tasks off the vessel,
but not being crew as defined, has
been unclear. However, national rules
are developing, with the UK as a leader
in the process.
The UT 540 WP meets
Special Purpose Ship rules with
accommodation for 40 wind-turbine
technicians plus a ships crew of 20.
16

ABOVE:
Norwegian shipowner
stensj Rederi AS
has ordered the first
UT 540 WP for work in
the North Sea, off the
UKs east coast.

Everyone has a windowed singleberth outside cabin with shower and

toilet, and the superstructure is well
back from the bow to reduce pitch
and heave motion, while the passive
stabilisation system takes care of roll.
Great attention has been paid to
minimising noise and vibration in the
accommodation. The walk-to-work
gangway is a third-party supply that
can be hydraulically raised or lowered
on a pedestal, usually on the port
side to give a level path to the access
platforms on the turbine towers at
different states of the tide.
The UT design provides stepless
access to lifts and gangway. Below
the weather deck aft is a large area for
containerised loads and stores. Their
floors are level with the main deck,
which is strengthened for fork-lift truck
operation. Close attention has been
paid to logistics and workflow in the
vessel design. Technicians leave their
cabins, eat breakfast in the mess room,
then go to the work area to put on
protective equipment along a short
route. They then collect trolleys of

equipment needed for the days task,

which have been pre-prepared, before
taking the lift up and walking to work
over the gangway.
For some windfarm installations,
access to the turbine towers will also
be by daughter craft. A 9m boat with
specialised fendering is carried, and
once launched can run between
points on the ships side and the
turbine towers. The UT 540 WP
has two push-up points for
nose-to docking of the small
craft when transferring people or
equipment, one fixed at the stern
and one detachable station on the
side. For direct equipment transfer,
ship to tower, there is a crane. The
ships bridge is asymmetric to give the
best view of the gangway, the vessel
position next to the turbine
tower and crane
activity.

The UT 540 WP is equipped for

accurate station keeping and sensitive
manoeuvring in strong winds,
currents and sizeable waves, with a
transit speed of around 13knots. The
propulsion system from Rolls-Royce is
diesel-electric for maximum flexibility
with minimum fuel consumption.
Power comes from four 4000-series
MTU engines. Two US205CP azimuth
thrusters at the stern are assisted by
three Supersilent or PM tunnel thrusters.
Rolls-Royce DP2 for dynamic
positioning is normally specified.
Redundancy to the ERN 4x99 level can
be specified tolerating a worst-case
failure, or a lower number covering
single-thruster failure, depending on
the operators requirements.
This UT 540 WP is one of a range
of Rolls-Royce SOVs designed to meet
different requirements for number
of personnel and types of operation.
The largest in the range has lifeboats
and other equipment to comply
with higher SPS (above 60 persons)
or passenger vessel rules. Vessels at
the small end of the range are mainly
intended for maintenance of farms
with fewer turbines and a reduced
requirement for technicians. The
layout for these vessels is flexible to
meet specific operator preferences,
for example the option of locating the
technician accommodation aft. RW

BELOW:
Johan Rokstad,
Chief Operating
Officer, stensj
Rederi AS, says
his company and
Rolls-Royce have
enjoyed good
cooperation
throughout the
project to design
and build the
new UT 540 WP.

First UT 540
ordered

Rolls-Royce has been selected to

design and equip a new service
operation vessel (SOV) for
shipowner stensj Rederi AS.
The vessel will support windfarm
operations for DONG Energy at
the Race Bank windfarm off the
UKs Lincolnshire coast.
The new vessel, the first
Rolls-Royce UT 540 WP design,
will serve as the mother ship
for wind-turbine technicians.
The design was developed
in cooperation with stensj
Rederi specifically to support
operations in shallow waters.
Johan Rokstad, stensj
Rederi AS, Chief Operating
Officer, said: We have worked
closely with Rolls-Royce to
develop a design we believe will
be well-suited to servicing the
specific operational demands of
supporting offshore windfarms.
We look forward to continuing
this good cooperation.
At 81m long with a beam of
17m, the DP2 vessel will have 60
single cabins to accommodate
up to 40 wind-turbine
technicians in addition to a
marine crew of 20. The newbuild
will be equipped with a motioncompensated gangway system
with an adjustable pedestal for
the transfer of maintenance
personnel from the ship to
turbines access platform.
Rolls-Royce will also supply the
diesel-electric main machinery,
consisting of frequency-

ABOVE: The UT 540 WP is the mid-range

vessel in the series and is equipped with a
heave-compensated hydraulic gantry for
safe transfer of personnel to the wind turbine
access platform.

controlled electric-driven
azimuth thrusters, super-silent
mounted transverse thrusters,
the DP2 dynamic positioning
system, power electrical system,
deck machinery and the latest
generation Acon automation
and control system.
This contract enables us
to expand our business into
the renewable energy sector.
It has been the strategy of
stensj Rederi to diversify our
operations, Rokstad adds. We
believe the sector holds further
demands for similar vessels.
Jens Jakobsson, Senior Vice
President for DONGs wind
power operations, said: The
service operating vessel will
be an important step to ensure
safe and efficient operation
of windfarms far from shore,
starting with Race Bank, and we
are convinced that DONG Energy
will benefit from stensj
Rederis long experience in
conducting safe operations in an
offshore environment.
Grimsby will be the vessels
operational base. The Race Bank
windfarm will be located in the
North Sea approximately 17.4
miles off the Lincolnshire coast.
The vessel, set to be delivered
in 2017, will be built in Spain.

17

T E C H N O LO G Y

Perfecting the

PROPELLER
Cruise ships are among the most demanding
vessels for the propeller designer. At Rolls-Royce,
the full depth of hydrodynamic experience is
called upon to find a design solution that ensures
the ultimate experience for the cruise passenger

ith a large number of

passengers on board,
all of them expecting
a high-class cruise
experience, comfort
and low levels of noise and vibration
are established prerequisites for
the cruise ship designer. Those
requirements are ultimately passed on
to the propeller designer.
Mein Schiff 3 and 4, operated by
Hamburg-based TUI Cruises and built
by Meyer Turku Oy, are sophisticated
and highly innovative cruise ships
that serve mainly premium Germanspeaking cruise travellers, from
families and couples to seniors.
18

At 99,500gt, they are 294m long

and 36m wide, have 1,253 cabins
and can accommodate over 2,500
passengers.
Mein Schiff 3 was the worlds first
ship to have a fully equipped concert
hall. The Klanghaus (Sound House)
is a 270m room in the centre of
the ship with seating for 300 and
equipped with the best in acoustic
and sound control. Over much of the
stern is an innovative glass faade
of 167m in the shape of a diamond.
It covers two decks and is known as
the Groe Freiheit (Great Freedom)
and houses some of the ships 11
restaurants and 12 bars. Other

ABOVE: The twin five

bladed hi-skew fixed
bolted propellers
reduce onboard
noise and vibration.

unique features to entertain the

passengers include a 25m outside
pool and an outdoor arena with LED
screen, providing plenty of space
for sporting activities and outdoor
cinema events.
A group of five international
design offices made these TUI
cruise ships look and feel different,
adapting to the tastes and
expectations of German passengers,
along with TUIs innovative concepts.
We had no part in the ship
design, but our work is vital for the
passenger experience, says Per
Arn, Senior Hydrodynamicist at the
Rolls-Royce Hydrodynamic Research
Centre in Sweden. For these vessels,
five-bladed hi-skew propellers were
selected as the noise, vibration and
efficiency requirements were very
demanding. Having a concert hall
on board and the glass diamond
space with important venues at the
stern, directly above the propellers,
really put our work in the spotlight

with the shipyard, Meyer Turku Oy.

We had to stretch one step further
than we had ever done before to get
the propeller characteristics a nearperfect match to the vessel and
its operating profile, and so meet
our guarantees.
Gaining a deep understanding
of the hydrodynamic issues that
affect propeller design requires
a lot of experience and historical
data to draw upon. The Rolls-Royce
Hydrodynamic Research Centre has
been undertaking detailed propulsor
design studies for over 70 years.
More than 1,500 propeller designs
have been model-tested to date, and
around 40 are undertaken each year.
To achieve the comfort class,
every possible aspect was taken
into consideration; hull shape,
water inflow to the propellers,
V-bracket design, propeller design
cavitation and propeller-excited
dynamic forces.
Early in the design process,
we made a propeller design and
propeller model so we could
conduct open-water efficiency
tests at the Hydrodynamic Research

Centre, to validate that the highefficiency requirements could

be achieved while delivering
exceptionally low noise, adds Arn.
At that stage, we also made viscous
CFD calculations to validate the
propeller efficiency.
Our recently developed in-house
specialist software now enables us to
do a number of different designs and
these CFD calculations automatically.
When optimising our propeller
designs over a number of stages
with customers, this enables us to
determine the best overall propeller
design more quickly.
The fixed bolted propeller design
was selected for these vessels. Each
propeller delivers 14MW at full speed,
which is over 21 knots, with reduced
vibration and pressure fluctuations
compared to a four-bladed
propeller.
Kamewa bolted propellers have
individual blades so they can be
very accurately machined and
exchanged in service if damaged
without drydocking the ship. Spares
are limited to blades, not a
complete propeller.

EFFICIENCY
LEFT: Tip vortex
cavitation during
model testing.
RIGHT: The minimal
tip vortex cavitation
visible during the
actual sea trial.
BELOW: Per
Arn, Senior
Hydrodynamicist
at the Rolls-Royce
Hydrodynamic
Research Centre.

During sea trials the propellers

noise and vibration characteristics
were validated by pressure
fluctuation measurements in the
hull plating above the propellers.
Actual cavitation was observed
through windows installed in the
hull above the propellers. These
observations revealed minimal tip
vortex cavitation, confirming the
model testing.
Following the successful sea trials of
Mein Schiff 3, Berndt Lnnberg, Senior
Project Engineer, Sound and Vibration
at Meyer Turku, said: During the sea
trials the windows were covered. The
team on board were wondering when
the speed trials would start, when in
fact the ship was already travelling at
20 knots.
Rolls-Royce is also supplying the
propellers for Mein Schiff 5 and 6,
the next ships in the series. Both are
now in build at the Meyer Turku yard
in Finland. By the end of this year,
Mein Schiff 5 will be floated out and
she will be delivered to TUI Cruises,
a joint venture between TUI AG and
Royal Caribbean, in the summer
of 2016.
The ships are being constructed
using advanced and eco-friendly
technologies. Energy consumption
is said to be around 30 per cent
lower than for other cruise ships
of the same size. AR

FIND OUT MORE

per.aren@rolls-royce.com

The Mein Schiff 4, seen here docked in

Hamburg, is powered by propellers built using
the latest technology from Rolls-Royce.
Image courtesy TUI Cruises.

19

T E C H N O LO G Y

READY
FOR
LAUNCH

IN
20

with reliability and precision, with an

outstanding ability to operate safely
in severe weathers.
They fall into two main groups;
(1) overside LARS deck or gantry
mounted and (2) moonpoolbased LARS.
Six main designs accommodate
most offshore applications and are
regularly customised to individual
requirements. There are now around
100 in service, and the range has been
expanded to give the customers a

THE HIGHLY
ACCURATE
AHC USES
MEASUREMENTS
OF THE VESSEL
MOTION
TOGETHER WITH
THE FEEDBACK
FROM THE
HANDLING
UNIT SENSORS
The highly accurate AHC uses
measurements of the vessel motion
together with the feedback from
the handling unit sensors, which
indicate the overboard position, to
automatically compensate for most
of the vessel motion by adjusting the
winch speed and direction.

Flexible

Digital
To see an
animation of
the mission bay
handling system
in action, download
the In-depth app
from iTunes or
Googleplay

Rolls-Royce has years of experience in designing launch and

recovery systems (LARS) for anchorhandlers and construction
vessels. That expertise has led to the development of an
innovative mission bay handling system, tailored for the next
generation of naval platforms and offshore patrol vessels
the offshore sector,
safely launching and
recovering robotic
tools and remotely
operated vehicles
(ROVs) that work at depths of 3,000m
and beyond is the task of the onboard
launch and recovery system (LARS).
The system must be capable of
gently launching the ROV into the
sea from the side of the ship and
Rolls-Royce has developed its LARS
range to meet these requirements

CAPABILITY
The commercial gantry
LARS is capable of
launching ROVs from
the side of the ship
with reliability and
precision in severe
weathers.

choice of performance as well as initial

investment cost.
With the ongoing acceptance by the
worlds governments of unmanned
surface vessels (USVs) and unmanned
underwater vehicles (UUVs) as a
future requirement, and the need
for todays navies to be truly multipurpose, the requirements for naval
handling systems are now much more
demanding.
It was therefore a logical step for
Rolls-Royce to take its commercial
LARS experience and apply it to
the emerging requirements in this
growing field and develop a flexible
low-risk naval solution.
As a result, Rolls-Royce has now
signed a Design and Development
Agreement (DDA) with BAE Systems to
design a mission bay handling system
(MBHS) for the UK Royal Navys Type 26

Global Combat Ship programme.

The system will be designed to:
n Deploy and recover boats and
unmanned vehicles (UxVs) from both
sides of the ship while keeping them
under positive control.
n Reach all areas of the mission bay
to move boats, UxVs or handle larger
components at sea.
n Load/offload containerised
mission packages without the aid of a
dockside crane.
Resembling its forerunner, the
commercial rail-mounted LARS, the
naval variant is a telescopic luffing
boom unit mounted on twin rails that
run across the width of the ship and
mission bay.
The boom is equipped with a
slew drive and can take separate
attachments to move containers or
launch small craft. It can reach inside

adjacent spaces and, with the ISO

container spreader attached, this reach
can be extended to 4m, so lighter
parts or boxes can be handled, making
operations in the confined space safer
for the crew.
When launching or recovering boats
a constant tension winch, also part of
the system, is used.
As the life of the mother vessel
will well exceed the life of any UxVs
operating today, the complete
system is designed to be capable of
upgrading.

Active Heave
Compensation (AHC)
extending operations

AHC can be an integral part of

the control system and increases
operability in rough seas, depending
on the vessels motion characteristics.

HOW IT WORKS
1 The mission bay

handling system
(MBHS) can slew, lift
and telescope, as well
as move athwartship
on rails.

2 The boat or UxV is

captured and ready

to be transferred to
storage in the mission
bay.

3 The MBHS positions

the spreader over a
TEU.

4 The spreader

connects to the TEU.

5 The TEU is moved to

an outboard position
over the dock.

6 The TEU is lowered

to the dock.

Ship designers have been unable to

second-guess all future requirements
navies may need as the technologies
that can be deployed are continually
developing. However, effective
interoperability between navies will be
a crucial requirement.
The Rolls-Royce mission bay
handling system is designed to be
very flexible, says Brian Morrow, Sales
Manager, Naval Handling Systems.
We know requirements will change
rapidly and, as naval vessels have long
service lives, our system will continue
to develop and will be adaptable
to handle the different payloads we
havent yet thought of. The system will
be capable of handling the integrated
portable solutions that are now being
developed.
Rolls-Royce has also developed
a semi-automatic LARS system to
launch and recover 9m USVs and
manned rigid inflatable boats (RIBs).
It is currently fitted to a frigate. Ship
modifications were avoided by
mounting the unit to missile
launching pads. AR

FIND OUT MORE

brian.morrow@rolls-royce.com
21

CUSTOMER FOCUS

Windfarm support vessels face

extremely challenging conditions
and demanding workloads. That
makes the need for dependable
technology to ensure safe and
consistent operations essential to
operators such as UK-based Seacat
Services, which serves the growing
investment in sustainable power
through0ut the North Sea

Catch the

WIND
22

or Seacat Services
Managing Director
Ian Baylis, reliability is
the key to his young
companys reputation.
Baylis has built up
a respected brand
and business with his
UK-based windfarm support vessel
operator, and he attributes that
success to the dependability of
Rolls-Royce technology.
The biggest challenge for our
business is keeping the vessels
available, he says. If we keep the
vessels available we get a reputation
for reliability, and if we have that
reputation then we get work. Its as
simple as that.
That reputation for reliability
means the company has never lost
a client and continues to grow
apace, generating new clients as a

result of positive word of mouth.

Baylis attributes the reputation
for reliability to two factors. First is
the selection of the vessel design,
and second is the shipyard and the
equipment on board. Rolls-Royce is
an integral part of that. Rolls-Royce
kit is solid and reliable, weve never
had a technical hours downtime as
the result of a Rolls-Royce product
and the fleet has already clocked up
around 30,000 hours.
Equipment is only as good as
the skilled and motivated people
who operate it. Baylis also attributes
industry-leading levels of reliability to
his fantastic support team, both on
board the ship and at the companys
Cowes base.
Seacat Services was formed in 2010
with the aim of providing support
to the rapidly developing offshore
wind industry in the construction,

operation and maintenance of

offshore windfarms.
Following extensive market
research, which included Baylis
spending time skippering vessels
out to windfarms, he and his partner
created a business plan, raised the
independent finance required and
ordered their first two vessels, from
South Boats on the Isle of Wight, in
May 2011.
By the time those boats were built
wed already ordered four more,
Baylis says. Our first ever day of paid
work was 6 July 2012.

Boutique quality

Seacat Services currently operates

nine specifically constructed multipurpose vessels, with two further
vessels currently under construction
at South Boats. Depending on the
number of contracts at any one
time, the company employs around
70 people at sea and a further 14 in
supporting roles in Cowes.
Ultimately, the plan is to operate a
fleet of 12 to 14 vessels, providing a
boutique quality service.
The company has secured
contracts across all the North Sea
states, working with some of the
biggest names in the offshore wind
sector, including Siemens Wind
Power Solutions and DONG Energy.
The majority of the companys
business is in Danish and German
waters, with between 20 and 30
per cent in UK waters. Baylis is keen
to have the opportunity to work
on projects closer to home and is

BELOW: Seacat vessels

Resolute and Defender
carry technicians and
supplies to the West
of Duddon Sands
windfarm, a joint
venture between
ScottishPower
Renewables and DONG
Energy, located in the
Irish Sea off Cumbria.

watching with interest plans for

offshore wind developments along
the south coast.

Challenging conditions

The life of a windfarm support vessel

is a tough one. Vessels work around
the clock on 12 or 24-hour contracts.
Seacat operates some of the
industrys larger vessels, supporting
windfarms further from shore in
more challenging conditions.
During the construction phase of
windfarms, the company supports
customers who conduct their
operations remotely. Typically, a
ship will operate with two crews
working alternate 12-hour shifts,
with the crews living on a hotel ship
located near the installation. At the
beginning of their shift the crew
take over responsibility for the vessel
and begin their day picking up and

ferrying passengers, usually teams

of between two and four people to
and between offshore assets, such as
turbines and sub-stations.
Work on windfarm construction
projects is very varied. The majority
of Seacats work has involved
supporting cable contractors,
pulling cables into the base of the
foundations, hanging them off
and terminating them. Theyve
also supported turbine technicians
commissioning and servicing the
turbines themselves as well as a
variety of secondary work streams,
painting, temporary electrical supply
and drone inspection.
A windfarm support vessel can
visit 20 or 30 locations during one
12-hour shift. The record, according
to Baylis, is 44. At the end of the shift
the vessel returns the technicians to
where they came from, either the

23

CUSTOMER FOCUS

hotel ship or back to land. The vessel

is then handed over to the relief crew
and that days crew gets some sleep,
ready to begin again 12 hours later.
Two things matter in this
business, says Baylis. Reliability
in getting the technicians to the
site and environment, providing a
pleasant journey for the passengers
on board. Our job is to ensure the
technicians get to the site quickly
and in a fit condition to do the work
that theyre there to do.
To that end, Seacat vessels are
built to a high specification and are

ABOVE AND BELOW:

Offshore support
vessels including the
Seacat Courageous,
above, serve windfarms
throughout the North
Sea, including the
Meerwind facility,
pictured below. The
fleet relies heavily on
Rolls-Royce technology.

considered to be among a handful

of operators who have top-quality
tonnage within the industry.
Their vessels have a superstructure
that is independent of the vessels
hull, soft-mounted on big rubber
mounts, painted with sounddeadening coatings and with
acoustic panelling inside. All are
designed to reduce noise and
vibration to a minimum for comfort
and safety, and so transport the
technicians to work in the best
condition possible.
A great deal of attention is also
paid to the vessels hull design so the
platform is as stable as it can be, in
order to reduce sea sickness as well
as reducing noise and vibration. The

The Seacat Vigilant,

using Rolls-Royce
waterjets and MTU
engines, stands
ready for action in
the North Sea.

saloon is designed to be big, light

and airy, maximising views of the
horizon to reduce the danger of
sea sickness.
Attention is also paid to the
specification of the saloon. Seating
is as comfortable as possible and
cooking facilities and entertainment
are provided, including satellite TV,
video games console, DVD player
and high-speed satellite internet.
Time in transit is also important.
Main propulsion power for the
companys latest vessels will be
provided by MTU 12V 2000 M72
high-speed diesels, two per
vessel, each with a power rating of
900kW. In combination with
Rolls-Royce Kamewa 56A3 waterjets,

TWO THINGS MATTER IN THIS

BUSINESS RELIABILITY IN
GETTING THE TECHNICIANS TO
THE SITE AND ENVIRONMENT,
PROVIDING A PLEASANT JOURNEY
FOR THE PASSENGERS ON BOARD

Digital
See the interview
with Ian Baylis in
our digital edition
download the
In-depth app
from iTunes or
Googleplay

the propulsion system will power the

vessels to speeds of up to 30 knots.

Excellent performance

When working, windfarm support

vessels must push hard against
fender posts at the turbine to hold
themselves in position despite tides,
winds and waves, while technicians
or equipment are transferred.
Good manoeuvrability is vital
for maximum safety. Rolls-Royce
waterjets provide an excellent
combination of speed, static thrust
and manoeuvrability. All elements
of the Kamewa 56A3 waterjet pump
unit, consisting of impeller, impeller
housing, stator and steering nozzle,
are manufactured from stainless
steel and are extremely durable
in demanding applications. Pump
performance has been improved
to deliver very high static thrust,
exceptional cavitation margins
and excellent performance
over the whole speed range.
The compact control
24

WERE ABSOLUTELY
SOLD ON ROLLS-ROYCE
PRODUCTS BECAUSE
THEY HAVE TREATED
US FANTASTICALLY
Ian Baylis, Seacat Services Managing Director (pictured below)

system is intuitive and makes

operations easier and safer. It is
pre-calibrated, making the startup
procedure easy and quick. Engine
RPM and clutch controls are
integrated to the control system
and there are several safety
interlocks to avoid potentially
hazardous situations.
Rolls-Royce products are at
the heart of Seacats
operations.
Its fleet is
currently
fitted with

22 MTU engines and 18 Kamewa

56A3 waterjets.
Seacat chose Rolls-Royce and
MTU independently as two market
leaders, Rolls-Royce for their
waterjets and MTU for their engines.
According to Baylis, having
Rolls-Royce and MTU together has
helped create a great marketing
story for the company. It allows
them to show clients that they rely
on one product with one point of
accountability and that adds to their
reputation for reliability.
Our vessels availability is the
cornerstone of that reputation for
reliability, he says. In selecting our
machinery we have to be sure that
we do everything we can to try and
ensure the vessel is available 100 per
cent of the time. We average well
over 90 per cent and theres been
no downtime due to Rolls-Royce
products since we started. Were
absolutely sold on the products
because they have treated us
fantastically. SK
25

Fishermens
U P D AT E S

FRIENDS
When fishing companies upgrade their vessels, their
emphasis is on efficient trawling, fuel economy in all
operating conditions, and ensuring high-quality fish
products are delivered to the quay. Not surprisingly,
a number have turned to Rolls-Royce for the solutions

daptability and
affordability
have been the
stand-out features
of Rolls-Royce
fishing vessel
designs for more
than 40 years.
They have been developed in close
cooperation with customers from the
planning stage, to ensure they match
their requirements. The NVC design
range includes purse seiners/pelagic
trawlers, arctic shrimp trawlers,
factory/fillet trawlers and longliners.

to Eros AS during that same year.

The trawler takes pelagic fishing
vessel design to the next level in
terms of working conditions for the
crew, sea kindliness and economy of
operation. A 4,000kW hybrid dieselelectric propulsion system reduces
fuel burn throughout the different
operating modes.
An innovative layout for the net
handling system is located aft of the
superstructure, giving the crew a safer
and better working environment,
under a shelter. The catch is carried in
refrigerated seawater tanks.

Pelagic fishing

Bespoke requirements

IMAGE: LARNES MEK

Delivered in 2012, the 77.5m trawler

Kings Bay is built to the NVC 354
design. A similar vessel was supplied

26

The NVC 341 design was developed

to meet the special requirements of
the skipper, who is also the owner.
It can efficiently use purse seines,
pelagic trawls and gill nets to
catch different species of fish at
different times of the year off the
Norwegian coast.
The wheelhouse is laid out with
multiple control stations, each for
a particular type of fishing. Purse
seine controls for the winches and
deck machinery are located on the

ABOVE: The trawler

Kings Bay, an
NVC 354 design,
provides economical
operation with
improved working
conditions in an
efficient and stable
hull form.
LEFT: The Abelone
Mgster is an
NVC 341 design,
equipped with winches
to efficiently use purse
seines, pelagic trawls
and gillnets to catch
different species of fish.

starboard side, while to port is the

net handling system for gillnetting.
Another station controls trawling
carried out over the stern.
The Abelone Mgster is 43.1m
long with a 12m beam, and is
classed by DNV with an Ice C rating.
The catch is held and transported
alive in 500m refrigerated
seawater tanks.
A hybrid diesel-electric/dieselmechanical propulsion system is
matched to the different operating
requirements and is powered by a
1,325kW main engine and two 550kW
generator sets.

Stern trawling

In 2010, the fishing company

Prestfjord AS ordered a 65m factory
trawler to be built by a Norwegian
yard. The NVC 368 was chosen, which
has Stern Trawler notation with ice
class 1A* on the hull. Top speed is
about 16 knots. Rolls-Royce supplied
all of the vessels major systems and
equipment, which included a total of
20 AC electric winches of various sizes
to control all fishing operations. The
vessel was named Prestfjord.

Continued evolution

Now nearing completion at the Freire

yard in Spain is a new factory trawler

based on operating experience with
Prestfjord. To be named Holmy,
this latest addition to the fleet is also
designed by Rolls-Royce and is an
NVC 370 type. As well as embodying
the positive knowledge gained from
the earlier vessel, including 25,000
hours of trawl-data logging, the new
trawler has been updated with the
latest in Rolls-Royce equipment. Its
main engine will be the first example
of the new fuel efficient Bergen
B33:45L diesel to go into service,
driving an efficient nozzle propeller
system combining Promas with

ABOVE: Delivered
in 2010, Prestfjord is
an NVC 368 design
factory trawler, 65m
long with full on-board
factory and good
accommodation for a
crew of up to 33.

Innoduct. The propulsion system uses

the popular hybrid shaft generator
(HSG) system, which enables the
vessel to operate in either dieselmechanical or diesel-electric modes.
That reduces the number of engines
that need to be running for certain
operations, so maximising efficiency
while minimising emissions.
Holmy is 69.7m long overall with
a breadth of 16m, about 5m longer
than its predecessor, giving a slimmer
and easily propelled hullform. DNV
GL ice class has been specified: 1B
generally and 1A* on the hull. The
onboard factory heads, guts and
freezes the catch, which is then
stored in the 1,400m refrigerated
fish hold. The fishing equipment on
board will include the first Rolls-Royce
direct drive permanent magnet
motor trawl winch to enter service.
Accommodation is provided for a
total of 29 people, with 23 cabins.

Power with efficiency

German company DFFU, which is a

subsidiary of the Samherji seafood
company in Iceland, has ordered
two stern trawlers to the Rolls-Royce
27

U P D AT E S

combine efficient transit speeds of up

to 17 knots with the power and pull
needed for trawling, an HSG system is
incorporated in the gearbox, allowing
either mechanical or diesel-electric
transmission to suit the operating
mode. The main engine is the new
Bergen 33:45L diesel, a 6-cylinder unit
producing 3,600kW at 750rpm. The
1,200kW PTI, part of the hybrid shaft
generator system can use the PTI as
an electric motor alone, with power
provided by the auxiliary genset for
lower transit speeds. This allows the
main engine to be stopped and just
electric propulsion used. Improving
efficiency is a Promas shaftline/rudder
NVC 374 WP design, and the contract
includes a comprehensive equipment
package. Following delivery in
February and June 2017 from Klevens
Myklebust shipyard in Norway, the
two vessels will pelagic and bottom
trawl for a variety of quotas of fish in
North Atlantic waters, processing the
catch in the full on-board factory.
At 80m long and 16m beam these
are sizeable vessels, with a freezing
hold capacity of 2,040m and a 350m
packing hold. The design for the
NVC3 74 WP has a wave-piercing bow
and hull lines refined to give good
seakeeping and low resistance. To

ABOVE: NVC 370

Holmy which will
enter service in 2016
is the latest addition to
the Prestfjord AS fleet.

and a 3.7m CP propeller + nozzle.

A 650kW tunnel bow thruster aids
manoeuvring. These DFFU vessels will
accommodate a total of 34 people
in comfort, with a mixture of single
and double cabins, each with WC and
shower, plus mess room, dayrooms,
conference room and an on-board
hospital.
Armon shipyard in Spain was
chosen to build a stern trawler for
the Norwegian fishing company
Ramoen. The Rolls-Royce NVC 372
design and 75m length was chosen
and, on completion, the trawler will
catch whitefish and shrimps, and will
have equipment for both bottom and
pelagic trawling, together with a full
factory for fish products.

Latest live fish carrier

Slvtrans AS, a leading transporter of

live fish, has ordered its third vessel
from Rolls-Royce, with an option
for another. Its NVC 387 design
incorporates developments based
on its two predecessors, Ronja Polaris
and Ronja Huon. Slvtrans specialises
in wellboats transporting salmon
and trout to fish farms in Norway,
Scotland, Canada, Chile and Australia.
When the order was announced
Monrad Hide, VP for European sales,
said: Slvtrans requires vessels with

RIGHT: Scheduled
for delivery in 2017
are two NVC 374 WP
design 80m long stern
trawlers for German
Company DFFU.

NEW PRODUCT

New PM trawl winch

design has unique
dynamic properties
Moving to electric equipment
on board is an attraction for
a growing number of vessel
owners, as they tend to be
more efficient and often
offer lower installation and
maintenance costs.
The risk of pollution is
likewise reduced with the
use of electric motors
compared to hydraulic
drives, which is especially
important for fishing vessels

28

and for Arctic operations.

For trawl and a number
of other winch applications,
low-pressure hydraulics has
been the drive of choice as it
provides the precise control
and high torque required,
which is not easy for an
electric motor to replicate.
Conventional AC induction
motors are an option, but
permanent magnet (PM)
motors are better suited

the highest level of technology,

redundancy and environmental
solutions. We are proud to be chosen
again for their fleet renewal.
Transport of live fish in healthy
condition is the role of Slvtrans
NVC 387 vessels, taking about 500
tonnes of fish at a time from fish
farms to fish processing plants. The
fish are carried in three tanks totalling
3,200m. Seawater is circulated either
direct to and from the sea, or filtered,
cleaned and recirculated. Cargoes
will normally be salmon or salmon
fingerling. Loading and discharging
the water with its fish at the start

ABOVE Capable of
taking loads of around
500 tonnes of fish, an
NVC 387 design is now
being built in Norway
for Slvtrans AS, a
leading transporter
of live fish, the third
vessel for the company.

and finish of a voyage is achieved by

applying air overpressure or vacuum
to the holds.
This latest live fish carrier is a
substantial vessel, 79.9m long with
18m beam and a service speed of 12
knots. Electricity is generated by four
high-speed diesel gensets each of
1,500kW that supply all demands on
board. The Promas arrangement with
3.3m CP propeller + nozzle and flap
rudder is fed with up to 3,000kW via
a Rolls-Royce AFE multidrive system
and two propulsion motors. Two
630kW tunnel bow thrusters assist
with manoeuvring. RW

Permanent magnet trawl winches are now part

of the fishing winch product range and deliver
impressive and reliable torque.

as gearing, which adds

inertia and complexity is not
required. The performance
is comparable to that of a
hydraulic motor.
To get a PM electric motor
that virtually mirrors the
performance of a low-pressure
hydraulic motor, Rolls-Royce
developed its own, as there
was no motor on the market
up to the task. It uses the
same technology found
in Rolls-Royce PM tunnel
and azimuth thrusters. The
result is the compact XT140
permanent magnet motor.
When part of the new BRE
XT140 trawl winch, developed
at the Brattvg centre of
excellence, it delivers an

impressive 55t pull on the

first layer at 40m/min. The
motor has a nominal speed of
75rpm and a nominal torque
of 140kNm, but it can operate
at an overspeed of 225rpm
three times its nominal rating
with a third of the torque.
This feature is particularly
relevant if a vessel has to
release its load quickly or
encounters other problems.
The motor can also provide
regenerative power back to
the ships switchboard, if the
vessel is so equipped.
The XT140 motor is
the result of an in-depth
study of fishing and AHTS
winch operations that were
considered during the design

stage, and it can operate at

temperatures down to -40C,
says Ottar Antonsen, VP Deck
Machinery anchorhandling
tug and supply. It is DNVapproved and one of the first
units will be installed on a
shrimping vessel for a Canadian
operator next year.
The XT140 motor is also well
matched to other types of
winches, such as anchorhandling
and is suitable for retrofitting,
replacing existing motors and
making electric winches a
possibility across a wide range
of applications.
FIND OUT MORE
ottar.antonsen
@rolls-royce.com

29

POLAR
PUSH
U P D AT E S

Demand for vessels to operate in polar regions

is increasing, through oil and gas exploration,
research and even tourism. But operating in
such extremes requires the best technology

peration in regions
where ice is present
places special
demands on the
propulsion system.
There is no single
best solution, however, with such
choices depending on the tasks to
be performed by the vessel, the ice
types, conditions in the operating
area and economics.
Over the years Rolls-Royce has
built up a vast amount of experience
in this field. In terms of propellers
alone, 550 stainless steel and 400
nickel aluminium bronze props have
been delivered with ice class 1A or
higher and, if lower ice classes are
included, the number is nearly 2,000.
Propeller designs include fixed pitch,
controllable pitch, and the adjustable
bolted type, with or without nozzles.
Classification society rules
are formulated on the basis of
graduated failure if there is an
excessive ice load. The blades will
be damaged or destroyed before
the hub suffers, and it in turn
should fail before damage
30

penetrates further into the ship.

Geared azimuth thrusters and
electric pods have advantages for
icebreakers. Apart from providing
agile manoeuvring in ice, they can
be steered so that the propeller
slipstream is directed at an angle
to the side, washing ice fragments
away and creating a channel wider
than the beam of the vessel, ideal for
an icebreaker cutting a channel for
other ships to follow.
Thrusters can also be used for
breaking thick ice by so-called ice
milling, where the icebreaker runs
stern-first and the thrusters draw
water from under the ice to weaken
the floe, aiding the hull shape in
breaking up the ice and forcing
fragments under and away from
the hull.
Thrusters are subject to ice impact
from many directions. To better
understand the implications, a major
part of the recent SafeArc research
carried out as a collaboration
between Rolls-Royce and DNV GL,
with support from Forskiningsrdet
(Norwegian Research Council), was

POLAR TRIALS

to measure ice impacts on azimuth

thrusters and conventional shaftlines.

Testing in ice

Technicians are lifted

onto the polar ice.

An intensive programme of trials

was carried out with the Swedish
Coastguard vessel KBV002 Triton in
the Baltic. Built to DNV Ice 1A* and
capable of breaking 50cm thick
ice at four knots, Triton has two
Rolls-Royce US355 azimuth thrusters
with nozzles, each transmitting
3,300kW to a fixed-pitch propeller,
3m diameter.
The research programme took the
ship into the ice of the northern part
of the Gulf of Bothnia, fitted with
extensive instrumentation. Strain
gauges were fitted on the motor
shaft to measure torque and on the
vessels structure to detect forces
applied to the thruster housing,
plus motor speed, steering forces
and steering angle measurements.
Noise was measured inside the ship
and underwater. Ice properties were
measured and underwater videos
made of the vessel passing through
ice. GPS data was also logged. Time

series from torque logging proved the

best way of identifying thruster ice
impacts. Triton was operating in level
ice, typically 37cm thick, and samples
showed a maximum crushing
strength of 4.5MPa. Extrapolating
from this and the number of
thruster impacts logged during the
programme to the highest strength
ice gave a value for the greatest single
ice impact during the vessels lifetime
of 1,400kN, well within the maximum
loads according to the rules.
More than 40 hours of ice operation
logging was analysed to determine
the driveline torque response, and the
results correlated well with the loads
suggested in the Polar rules.
The power needed to drive
the vessel through ice was
also monitored. Triton, being a
multifunctional vessel and not a
pure icebreaker, has a bulb bow.
In 50-60cm thick ice the energy
consumption of this bow is about 50
per cent more than a true icebreaker
bow without bulb.
The tests carried out also
demonstrated that fuel consumption
almost doubles when going from
light ice conditions into moderately
large coherent ice floes. Thus an
optimum ice operation requires
knowledge of ship performance in
different ice conditions and a defined
risk philosophy.
The data collected has now
been analysed and will be used by
Rolls-Royce to develop thrusters that
are even better suited to operating

in ice and by DNV to further develop

their ice class rules.

Products for ice

Rolls-Royce propulsors for ice form

two categories. Those designed
specifically for ice operation; ARC
azimuth thrusters, TT Polar tunnel
thrusters and propellers, and those
designed for normal operations, with
ice strengthening and delivered with a
lower power rating.
ARC series azimuth thrusters are
made in four sizes covering powers
3.5MW to 9.0MW, with or without
nozzles. They are a variation on the
popular US series and have been
delivered with ice class up to PC3.
A notable early reference was
the two icebreaker/offshore vessels
Nordica and Fennica, each equipped
with two US ARC1 thrusters (2x7.5MW)
with nozzles and which operate in
the Baltic. Built in 1993, they operate
as icebreakers in the winter and as
offshore support vessels in summer.
This year the contract was secured
to supply the integrated propulsion
system with two US ARC0.8 thrusters
for the new icebreaker FF Kronsprins
Haakon now building at Fincantieri
for the Norwegian Institute of Marine
Research. The vessel was also designed
by Rolls-Royce.
A new addition to the product
range is the TT Polar tunnel thruster.
Baltic ice class rules do not require ice
strengthening of a tunnel thrusters
prop or gearhousing, as the tunnel
is part of the hull and therefore ice

ABOVE: Icebreaking
provides a large
number of technical
challenges.

BELOW: Trials were

undertaken with crew
of the Triton vessel.

strengthened. The POLAR units are

designed for all ice requirements,
with a thicker tunnel wall supported
by ribs, and reinforced mounting
for the thruster unit which itself has
a strengthened transmission line.
Four sizes will be available and the
first example, a TT POLAR 2000, is
scheduled for delivery this year. The
permanent magnet TT also meets
DNV Ice1A.
Azipull thrusters with their pulling
propellers are popular for propelling
offshore supply vessels, ferries, cargo
ships and specialised vessels, all of
which may need some type of ice
class, typically the various Baltic
notations.
To achieve this, the thrusters are
downrated. The smallest AZP85, have
been supplied with ICE C class and a
rating of 1,600kW at 1,800 input rpm.
More than 100 AZP100 Azipull have
been sold with the same class and
ratings of 2,000-2,500kW.
AZP120 thrusters have been
supplied in quantity for all Baltic
notations C, 1C, 1B, 1A and1A*and a rating of 2,400kW at 1,000rpm
in the highest ice class. Two examples
of the largest AZP150 Azipull have
been supplied, with a 4,600kW
power rating. RW
31

U P D AT E S

The latest offshore knuckleboom crane

is equipped with fibre rope, significantly
improving lifting performance at depth

n offshore
knuckleboom crane
that uses fibre rope
is the latest to be
introduced by
Rolls-Royce. Two
sizes are available, rated at 150
tonnes and 250 tonnes.
The new cranes combine the
companys field-proven expertise
in equipment that uses braided
fibre rope for deepwater offshore
operations, with its offshore crane
and control systems technology.
Compared to cranes of similar type
using steel wire, the 250-tonne fibre
rope crane (FRC) working at water
depths greater than 2,400m can do
the same work as a 400-tonne crane
equipped with wire rope.
The reason for this is that the
braided fibre rope has virtually zero
weight in water, so the length of
rope deployed does not affect the
cranes useful lifting capacity. This is
not the case with wire rope, as the
useful lifting capacity decreases with
depth because of the extra weight of
the heavy steel wire rope itself.
To illustrate the scale difference,
a 250-tonne fibre rope crane
can install 250-tonne modules in
4,000m, whereas a 400-tonne crane
equipped with wire rope is limited

Working
better
deeper

to installing 250-tonne modules

in 2,400m, says Bjrn Gerde,
General Manager, Subsea. This
means smaller cranes and therefore
potentially smaller vessels can be
used to do the same work.

Less weight

Reducing the size of crane for a

given deepwater work capacity has
a number of side benefits, not least
lower procurement costs and crane
weight. This in turns places less
demand on ship stability, leading to
a more comfortable ship or one that
can safely continue working as the
weather worsens.
The 250-tonne crane handles 250
tonnes at 17m outreach, has a 35m
lifting height and works to 4,000m,
while the auxiliary boom is equipped
with a high-performance active
heave compensated wire winch for
50-tonne loads and 3,000m depth.
A sound insulated state-of-the-art
cabin houses the operators chair
with redundant touch screens,
camera monitors, a writing desk
and a co-pilot chair. Heating and air
conditioning allows the operator to
work comfortably and efficiently in
all climates.
Fibre rope handling is taken
care of below deck, in a compact

Dual draglink cranes

for smaller loads

ABOVE:
The 150-tonne
knuckleboom crane
showing the fibre
rope CTCU unit that is
installed below deck.

THE BRAIDED FIBRE ROPE HAS VIRTUALLY

ZERO WEIGHT IN WATER, SO THE LENGTH
OF ROPE DEPLOYED DOES NOT AFFECT
THE CRANES USEFUL LIFTING CAPACITY
32

LEFT:
The DDC50 dual-draglink
deck-mounted crane provides
increased lifting height and
efficient vertical and horizontal
load handling.

system using the field-proven

Rolls-Royce cable traction control
unit (CTCU), which assures reliable
and predictable rope spooling and
storage in all conditions.

Simple splicing

The proven CTCU system has unique

benefits for the vessel owners and
operators. Unlike its wire counterpart,
braided fibre rope can easily have
new sections spliced in if part of it is
damaged or abraded. For a wire rope,
the complete wire must normally be
replaced even when a small section
is damaged. The CTCU is designed
to accommodate the increased local
rope diameter at the splices. Splicing
can normally be carried out on board
in a few hours. RW

For lighter loads, Rolls-Royce supplies a range

of dual-draglink deck-mounted cranes. The
parallelogram linkage formed by the boom
and two links allows the hook to be positioned
anywhere in a much larger working envelope
than alternative layouts. This means increased
lifting height and efficient vertical and horizontal
load handling.
Currently, two sizes are available, capable of
handling 35 and 50-tonne loads. The largest
model can also be arranged for heavy lifts with
capacity up to 75 tonnes for handling cargo on
deck and in port. State-of-the-art active heave
compensation (AHC) uses hydraulics to control
the position of the winch and so compensate
for vessel movement. This feature minimises the
amount of time the winch spends cycling and so
reduces cable degradation.
A rail-mounted version is available for handling
deck loads
of up to 10
tonnes on
PSVs and is
mounted on the vessel cargo rails.
They can load, move and unload
cargo safely and efficiently over
the whole length and breadth of
the working deck.

FIND OUT MORE

bjorn.gjerde@rolls-royce.com
33

CUSTOMER SUPPOR T
BROAD REACH

Serving

Rolls-Royce originally
had a service centre in
Shanghai, which was
later joined by similar
facilities in Dalian and
Hong Kong. The latest
site is in Guangzhou.

CHINA

Rolls-Royce has been present in Chinas marine industry since the 1990s, supporting
shipyards, ship operators and port authorities. Now it is continuing to grow the
services offered to customers from four service locations along the coast

he need to provide
immediate and
responsive services
to support shipyards
building ships equipped
with Rolls-Royce
products and routine maintenance
or overhauls for the growing number
of ships owned by local operators,
has resulted in continued expansion
of the Rolls-Royce service capability
in China. From a service centre in
Shanghai, other service locations have
been established in Dalian and Hong
Kong, and three years ago a service
workshop in Guangzhou opened to
support activities in the Pearl River
delta area.
In todays challenging market, we
are focused on better understanding
our customers needs and working
with them to find the right service
solutions, says Martin Cunningham,
VP Service Delivery Asia Pacific
and Middle East. To better service
our broad product range, we have
made, and are continuing to make,
significant investment in training our
service engineers at our European
product centres. We are committed
to ensuring our teams have the skills
and competencies in country that
our customers need, especially in
China, where we have a high volume
of commissioning work across our
product and systems portfolio.
With our colleagues at MTU
we also have a programme of

34

cross-training service engineers to

provide a more flexible and reactive
resource. Hong Kong is one of the
first locations in the region where
we see this as being a real benefit
for our customers. Having the
right skills ensures we can respond
quickly and cost-effectively to those
requests where more than one of
our products needs servicing. We
continue to demonstrate that we
can cost-effectively overhaul our
products to very tight deadlines and
so shorten drydocking times.

of our Shanghai facility. We are also

close to the shipyards and have a
supportive relationship with them.
Ongoing product training is key. In
China, our goal is to provide a highly
qualified and agile team of engineers
who can move with the demand,
with Shanghai as the hub.

Dalian

Shanghai
Regional
service centre

Benson Chen,
Regional Service
Manager, explains:
The Shanghai service centre acts as
the central hub for the Greater China
marine services business, housing
not only a workshop and a number
of factory-trained service engineers,
but also the in-country operational
and administration team. Our
operations across China are designed
to give us the flexibility to carry out a
wide variety of work on Rolls-Royce
products now operating in Asia
We carry out upgrades as well as
overhauling the full range of
Rolls-Royce equipment including
azimuth thrusters, CP propellers
and tunnel thrusters. To serve our
customers better, we hold seminars

ABOVE: A number of
factory-trained service
engineers are on hand
at the Rolls-Royce
sites across China to
support customers.

and workshops, so we can effectively

deliver future maintenance needs.
Investing in planning can have a
great impact on costs and time
saved. When certain skills are in great
demand we can pull in resources
from our other China service sites
as well as our wider regional and
global network and, increasingly in
the future, also from MTU. We work
collaboratively on customer issues.
Most of our customers corporate
offices are located within 50 miles

Chi Xun, Service

Coordinator,
explains:
Located close to the
shipyards, a team of product centretrained engineers work in close
cooperation with key customers.
The team is very experienced,
with field and workshop capabilities
across the full marine product range,
concentrated mainly on propulsion.
We are creating a deck machinery
support cell, to ensure we have the
right repair and overhaul capabilities
for a very responsive level of service.
Our engineer team is mobile and
can travel to where customers are
overhauling or drydocking vessels.

Hong Kong

Timothy Lau,
Service Sales
Manager,
explains:
Our facility is home to Rolls-Royce
and MTU teams servicing customers
operating in and around Hong Kong.
It is close to the major shipyards and

the waterfront, where our engineers

can be on site quickly to deal with
any unplanned maintenance on
visiting vessels. We regularly service
products from Z-drives, CPPs and
waterjets to control systems and
steering gear.
As a large number of fast ferries
operating in Hong Kong are powered
by Kamewa waterjets and MTU
diesels, our engineers work together
to offer a cohesive customer service.

Guangzhou

Andy Wu, Service

Sales
Manager,
explains:
Our service centre in Guangzhou
comprises a 700m workshop and
a team of service engineers and

ABOVE: The thriving

maritime centre of
Hong Kong is home
to countless vessels
relying on Rolls-Royce
technology and so it
was important to have
a local service facility.

technicians. We maintain a close

relationship with our customers
operating in South China. By having
a deep understanding of each
customers needs, this allows us
to plan effectively to meet them.
We have extended efforts to store
spare parts locally, so improving our
responsiveness and delivery times.
We have also developed a Bergen
engine component exchange
programme specifically for
customers in the Guangzhou area,
whereby we store a pool of Bergen
engine components and provide
a cost and time efficient exchange
solution to benefit customers. AR
FIND OUT MORE
martin.cunningham
@rolls-royce.com
35

CUSTOMER SUPPOR T

Repowering

SEAWELL

he well intervention and diving support

vessel Seawell, owned by Helix Energy
Solutions Group and operated by Helix Well
Ops (UK), is a pioneer in the well intervention
industry and first entered service in the North
Sea shortly after commissioning in 1987.
This Helix Energy Solutions workhorse recently
underwent a major refit at Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen
in The Netherlands, with Rolls-Royce playing a key role.
The work was carried out in Damen Shiprepairs covered
drydock, which is equipped with a 300-tonne overhead
crane. The vessels statutory docking was also undertaken
at the same time.
Theextensive refit of the 4,615dwt vessel, which
is 111.41m long, included replacing the six original
36

When the pioneering well intervention vessel

Seawell went into drydock earlier this year for
planned maintenance, the opportunity was
taken to replace the existing generator sets
with Bergen C25:33L diesel units

ABOVE: Seawell at
the dock in Aberdeen
after completion
of the upgrading.

diesel generator sets with six Bergen C25:33L8ACD

generator sets, rated at 2,560kW to provide a total of
14,742kW electrical power, a little more than the earlier
arrangement. The Bergen C-series engines are power
dense, modularised and simple to maintain. In addition,
they have a competitive fuel consumption of 182g/kWh.
The Rolls-Royce azimuth thrusters that provide the

vessels dynamic positioning capability

were also scheduled for overhaul and were
removed and sent to the Rolls-Royce service
workshop in Pernis, Rotterdam, for the
work to be done. Other work undertaken
by the yard included upgrading the
control system to DP3, with all ship
systems having a high level of redundancy,
further enhancing the performance of
this dependable vessel.This level of
performance ensures crew safety and the
safety of subsea wells being serviced in
challenging weather conditions.
The replacement of the original diesel sets
was a challenge due to the lack of space, explains
Ronny Ellertsen, who was contract manager
at Bergen Engines for this upgrade. The Bergen
engines are very compact for their power, but there was
very little headroom, so the engines had to be partially
disassembled to get them into the updated engine
compartments. The Bergen C25:33L8ACD gensets were
then rebuilt and installed with new foundations.
A new intervention derrick, hull reinforcements and
other pieces of new intervention equipment were
installed throughout the vessel. Seawellslifeboats
were also upgraded to comply with new North Sea
performance standards.Crew accommodation was also
improved to enhance the work and living environment
forSeawells120 crew members.
Seawell has one of the worlds most extensive track
records for well intervention operations. It includes
saturation diving and riser-based and riserless well
intervention work. In 1996, Seawell performed what is
thought to be the first-ever installation of a replacement
subsea tree from a dynamically positioned monohull
vessel anywhere in the world. And in 1998, the Seawell
completed the worlds first ever wireline intervention
on a horizontal subsea tree, on Amoco Explorations
Arkwright Field in the North Sea.
Since starting work more than 20 years ago, Seawell has
entered more than 650 wells and decommissioned more

TOP: The vessels three

azimuth thrusters
were overhauled and
refitted as part of the
overhaul.
ABOVE: Compact
Bergen C series
generator sets are
available for powers
from 1,920 to 3,000kW.

than 150 live and suspended wells and 15 subsea fields.

This upgrading of key vessel systems makes the
Seawella much more comfortable place to live and work.
Providing well intervention services from a vessel is
more cost effective than using a rig. Therefore, with the
offshore industry looking to reduce costs to cope with
the lower oil price, more well intervention activities could
well move to be undertaken from vessels in the North
Sea in the future. AR
37

CUSTOMER SUPPOR T

frica has continued to attract

offshore investment despite
the fall in oil and gas prices
that has impacted offshore
energy projects.
We are seeing an increase
in offshore activity on Africas west coast, in
the Gulf of Guinea, and we are also seeing
more operations north of Namibia from
Angola to Cameroon, says Jim Roberts,
Vice President Marine Service Delivery
(Europe & Africa).
According to Roberts, the exploration
and development of Africas natural
resources is beginning to see the
emergence of a shipping industry outside
that already established in South Africa.
Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Namibia have
established a growing repair capacity,
giving shipowners more docking and
service options, he says.
To meet market demand, Rolls-Royce
has increased its investment with service
workshops in Namibia and Ivory Coast.
The co-operation agreement with the
Gran Canaria-based Astican Shipyard (see
page 6) is indicative of the companys
commitment to serving customers with
operations offshore West Africa.
It enhances our service capabilities,
providing invaluable support for units
that require larger drydock capacity and
deepwater berths, as well as supporting
the fleet, says Roberts.
A similar agreement was signed in 2014
with the Carena Ship Repair in Abidjan,
Ivory Coast, where Rolls-Royce provides
an enhanced repair capability.
Rolls-Royce Cote dIvoire SARL
has expanded its presence
with the recruitment of

ACROSS
AFRICA

Rolls-Royce service centres are now located at key ports

along West Africas coast to maintain the growing number
of Rolls-Royce equipped vessels operating there
engineers with the aim to service all of the
companys commercial marine products,
including controls and automation,
propulsion, engines and deck machinery,
both in the Carena yard and in the wider
Gulf of Guinea region.
In 2011 Rolls Royce established its first
service workshop in Africa, following the
signing of an agreement with Elgin Brown
& Hamer (EBH) Namibia, in Walvis Bay the
previous year. The location is a key port for
merchant shipping and vessels supporting
the offshore industry, and is now firmly
established as a regional hub for ship
repair, which makes it an ideal location for
Rolls-Royce support.
We helped the yard upgrade its 1,800m
workshop into a modern service centre for
the repair of Rolls-Royce deck machinery,
engines, propulsion, automation and control
systems, says Roberts. We are seeing a
substantial
increase in
activity,
with
some

customers requesting that we store and

repair their spare assets in country.
EBH Namibia is also taking on more
commercial ship repair work following the
recent commissioning of its third dock,
the only privately-owned Panamax-size
floating dock in western Africa. In June this
year, the gates to Namdock 3 opened to
accommodate Navigation Maritimes Bold
Voyager, marking a significant milestone
not only for the yard, but also for Namibia
as a country capable of servicing the
international shipping market.
Rolls-Royce has recruited engineers in
every African location to meet demand.
Following an agreement with MTU,
service engineers are also now based
in the MTU/Rolls-Royce service centre
in Cape Town, South Africa to meet an
increasing workload. Justin Russell, Business
Development Manager Marine Services
Europe & Africa, says: Having engineers
based in South Africa gives us access not
only to the extensive South African port
network but good access to the rest of the
continent via the excellent transport and
administrative infrastructure. PW

Global services network

HEADQUARTERS
MARINE
62 Buckingham Gate, London,
SW1E 6AT, UK
Tel: +44 207 222 9020
Fax: +44 207 227 9186

RUSSIA
Office 41H, 32, Nevsky pr.,
191011 St. Petersburg
Tel: +7 812 313 7551
(+7 961 803 3181 24/7)

NAVAL
110 Norfolk Street, Walpole,
MA 02081, USA
Tel: +1 508 668 9610
Fax: +1 508 668 5638

SWEDEN
PO Box 1010, S-68129 Kristinehamn
Tel: +46 550 840 00
(+46 550 84100 24/7)

PO Box 3, Filton, Bristol,

BS34 7QE, UK
Tel: +44 117 979 1234
Fax: +44 117 974 8666

UNITED KINGDOM
Taxiway, Hillend Industrial Park,
Dunfermline, Fife KY11 9JT
Tel: +44 1383 82 31 88
(+44 7831 167138 24/7)

SUBMARINES
PO Box 2000 Raynesway, Derby,
DE21 7XX, UK
Tel: +44 1332 661461
Fax: +44 1332 622935

Unit G35 Wellheads Industrial

Estate, Dyce, Aberdeen, AB21 7GA
Tel: +44 1224 774173

NORTHERN EUROPE

ITALY
Via Castel Morrone, 13,
16161 Genova
Tel: +39 010 749 391
(+39 348 476 5928 24/7)

DENMARK
Vaerftsvej 23, DK-9000 Aalborg
Tel: +45 9930 3600
FINLAND
Potkuritie 4, FI-67900 Kokkola
Tel: +358 6 832 4500
Suojantie 5, FI-26100, Rauma
Tel: +358 2 83 791
(+358 2 83 794 722 24/7)
FRANCE
4 place des Etats-Unis, Silic 261,
F-94578 Rungis Cedex
Tel: +33 1 468 62811
GERMANY
Fhrstieg 9, D-21107 Hamburg
Tel: +49 40 780 9190

NORWAY
P.O.Box 1522, N-6025 lesund
Tel: +47 81 52 00 70
(+47 900 10 997 24/7)
Fax: +47 70 01 40 14
Bergen Engines
P.O.Box 924 Sentrum,
N-5808 Bergen
Tel: +47 81 52 00 70
(+47 55 53 64 00 24/7)
Bergen/Laksevg Service
laksevaag@rolls-royce.com

38

POLAND
Kontenerowa Street 8, 81-155 Gdynia
Tel: +48 58 782 06 55

COMMERCIAL
Borgundvegen 340, P.O. Box 22,
N-6025 lesund, Norway
Tel: +47 81 52 00 70
Fax: +47 70 10 37 03

THE NETHERLANDS
Werfdijk 2 (Port 2828), 3195
HVPernis, Rotterdam
Tel: +31 10 40 90 920

LEFT: Rolls-Royce
has increased its
investment in
Africa with service
workshops in Namibia
and Ivory Coast, along
with the service centre
in South Africa.

Training Centre P.O.Box 1522,

N-6025 lesund
Tel: +47 70 235 100
Fax: +47 70 10 37 01

SOUTHERN EUROPE

GREECE
25, Poseidonos Ave.,
Moschato, Athens 18344
Tel: +30 210 459 9688/9
(+39 348 4765 929 24/7)
SPAIN
Estartexe, 8 oficina E,
48940 Leioa Vizcaya, Bilbao
Tel: +34 944 805 216

ASIA PACIFIC
AUSTRALIA
Unit 4, 344 Lorimer Street,
Port Melbourne, Victoria 3207
Tel: +61 396 444 700
Unit 2, 8 Wallace Way, Fremantle
WA6160, Perth
Tel: +61 8 9336 7910
INDIA
D/505 TTC Industrial Area, MIDC
Turbhe, Navi Mumbai 400703
Tel: +91 22 6726 38 38
(+91 773 877 5775 24/7)
SINGAPORE
No 6, Tuas Drive 1, Singapore 638673
Tel: +65 6862 1901
Fax: (+65 6818 5665 24/7)
NEW ZEALAND
175 Waltham Road, Waltham,
Christchurch
Tel: +64 3 962 1230
CHINA
1-7 Sai Tso Wan Road, Tsing Yi Island,
N.T., Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2526 6937
(+86 135 0173 0172 24/7)
No 1 Xuan Zhong Road Nan Hui
Industrial Zone, Shanghai 201300
Tel: +86 21 5818 8899
(+86 135 0173 0172 24/7)
Room 1204/1206 Swissotel,
21 Wu Hui Road, 116001 Dalian
Tel: +86 411 8230 5198
(+86 135 0173 0172 24/7)
No. 107-4, Shiyu Road, Tianyi Village,
Nansha District, 511475 Guangzhou
Tel: +86 20 8491 1696
(+86 135 0173 0172 24/7)
JAPAN
Yamasaki Building 1st & 2nd Floor,
1-15-11, Kinpei-cho,
Hyogo-Kobe 62-0873
Tel: +81 78 652 8126

C/Dinamarca s/n (Pol. Ind.Constanti)

43120 Constanti, Tarragona
Tel: +34 977 296 444
(+34 977 296 446 24/7)

REPUBLIC OF KOREA
197, Noksansaneopbuk-ro
Gangseo-gu, Busan 618-818
Tel: +82 51 831 4100

TURKEY
Nazan Sok. No:2 Lagoon Plaza D:3
34940 Tuzla, Istanbul
Tel: +90 216 446 9999
(+90 549 42 42 422 24/7)

RUSSIA
5 F, 3b, Streinikova str.,
Vladivostok 690065
Tel: +7 4232 495 484

MIDDLE EAST
& AFRICA
NAMIBIA
PO Box 4414, Old Power Station,
2nd Street East, Walvis Bay
Tel: +264 642 275 440
(+264 811 274 411 24/7)
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
PO Box 261103, Oilfield Supply
Centre, Shed no. 47,
Jebel Air Free Zone, Dubai
Tel: +971 4 883 3881
(+971 5 0645 9170 24/7)

AMERICAS
BRAZIL
Ilha do Caju 131, Ponta da Areia,
Niteri, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 24040-005
Tel: +55 2707 5900
(+55 21 7101 1222 24/7)
CANADA
142 Glencoe Drive, Mount Pearl,
St Johns, Newfoundland, A1N 4P7
Tel: +1 709 748 7650
(+1 709 687 1673 24/7)
96 North Bend Street,
Coquitlam BC, V3K 6H1, Vancouver
Tel: +1 604 942 1100
(+1 604 365 7157 24/7)

MEXICO
Edif. Torre del Pilar, Blvd Ruiz
Cortinez #3642, Boca del Rio,
Veracruz, 94299
Tel: +52 229 272 2240
(+52 229 272 2246 24/7)
USA
110 Norfolk Street, Walpole,
MA 02081
Tel: +1 508 668 9610
(+1 877 598 6957 24/7)
10125 USA Today Way, Miramar,
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33025
Tel: +1 954 436 7100
1880 South Dairy Ashford,
Ashford Crossing II, Suite 301,
Houston, TX 77077
Tel: +1 281 902 3300
Pelican Island # 1, 2929 Todd Road,
Galveston, TX 77554
Tel: +1 409 765 4800
(+1 832 298 7804 24/7)
200 James Drive West,
St Rose, LA 70087
Tel: +1 504 464 4561
1731 13th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98134
Tel: +1 206 782 9190
(+1 206 499 8245 24/7)

24/7 TECHNICAL
SUPPORT
ROTTERDAM, tel: +31 20 700 6474
HOUSTON, tel: +1 312 725 5727
SINGAPORE, tel: +65 6818 5665
Email: marine247support@
rolls-royce.com

FURTHER ONLINE
CONTACTS
INFORMATION
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www.rolls-royce.com/marine/
contacts
Marine Services Contacts
& Locations:
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services/contacts_locations

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