Compagnie Maritime Monégasque SAM has recently secured contracts with Petrobras Brazil to charter five new-build fast oil spill response vessels with Damen axe-bow designs.
With the aid of Damen's Sea Axe technology, the vessels will be able to reach offshore oil platforms in half the time it takes traditional oil spill response vessels.
Three vessels will start operating by the end of December 2015, with the final two operational by mid-2016. The four-year firm contract has a value of US$130 million and is extendable for a further four-year term.
All of the vessels are being built by Damen and will have modern guidance and propulsion systems with built-in redundancies.