A steel cutting ceremony at Tersan Shipyard in Turkey yesterday marked the kick-off for the construction of the first of two next generation Methanol MDO/HVO powered DP2 Construction Service Operating Vessels (CSOVs) for Acta Marine.
Acta Marine ordered the two vessels with Tersan last year, with the option for two more. The design of the vessel SX216 has been developed exclusively and in close collaboration with Ulstein Design & Solutions AS.
The 89 metres long vessels will be equipped with an SMST provided motion compensated crane and a motion compensated gangway for safe personnel transfer in significant wave-heights up to 3.0 meters. The CSOV can accommodate up to 135 people in 88 cabins. In addition to the Methanol MDO/HVO engines the vessels feature a battery power storage system creating further energy efficiency and CO2 reduction.
Ulstein’s TWIN X-STERN design
These vessels are the first contracted to implement Ulstein’s TWIN X-STERN design. The main distinguishing features of the vessel are the two sterns and main propeller units at each end. The combination of thrusters and symmetrical hull design results in lower energy consumption and reduced motions, allowing for higher operability and comfort, Acta Marine said. This concept should dramatically improve the manoeuvrability and ability to stay in position. Further, the design allows for reduced noise, more comfort on board and the potential to save significant amounts of energy in operation.
The TWIN X-STERN was recently nominated for the Offshore Support Journal Innovation of the Year Award and the Acta Marine CSOV project is nominated for the Offshore Renewables Award.
Together with the second newbuild CSOV, that will follow three months later, the vessels will be added to the fleet from the second quarter of 2024 and serve the offshore wind industry.
