Offshore Equipment

GEAR | New joint venture to support crew change operations in North Sea

Baird Maritime Gear Editor

The Damen Shipyards Group and Ampelmann have established the joint venture OceanXpress to provide offshore crew change solutions in the North Sea area.

Damen said this collaboration will see the introduction of a new service to the offshore access market that combines the fast crewboat Aqua Helix with an S-type motion compensated gangway system from Ampelmann. The vessel and the state-of-the-art gangway system have successfully passed offshore commissioning and will now start offering services to the offshore energy market.

Damen and Ampelmann will provide full logistical support to the operations of Aqua Helix and the S-type gangway as a fully integrated crew supply solution for clients in the North Sea energy market. Experienced crew from Wagenborg Offshore will navigate the vessel along platforms.