VESSEL REVIEW | Ocean Energy – Irish operator takes delivery of offshore support tug

Irish marine services company Atlantic Towage and Marine has taken delivery of a new offshore-capable catamaran tug from Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld in the Netherlands.

The aptly named Ocean Energy will serve Atlantic Towage's customers in the European offshore renewables sector. In addition to providing towage services, the vessel will also take on general support duties such as anchor handling and marine construction. The vessel's hull was built at Damen Shipyards Kozle in Poland while final outfitting took place in Hardinxveld. Design work was done in compliance to Bureau Veritas and UK MCA CAT I workboat requirements.

Ocean Energy has an LOA of 23.36 metres, a moulded beam of nine metres, a moulded depth of 3.2 metres, a maximum draught of 2.3 metres, and an open deck with an area of 100 square metres.

Power is provided by two Volvo Penta D16 engines that each produce 551 kW at 1,800 rpm. The box-cooled engines drive two Promarin 1,500mm fixed-pitch propellers via Twin Disc MGX 5170 gearboxes to deliver a speed of nine knots and a bollard pull of 20 tonnes. An electrically-driven 90kW bow thruster provides enhanced lateral manoeuvrability for operating in restrictive near-shore waters. Two Volvo Penta D7 90ekW generators are also fitted.

Ocean Energy is IMO Tier II-compliant and the engineering space is prepared for the retrofit of a Damen NOx reduction system. This uses selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology to ensure IMO Tier III compliance and, with the necessary space already available, it can be efficiently fitted when required.

To optimise the vessel for its intended roles, Atlantic Towage specified an AKC 185 HE4 large forward deck crane and an AK34 aft deck crane from HS.Marine. A DP1 system from Kongsberg Maritime synchronises the twin screws aft and a bow thruster for optimum manoeuvrability. The electronics suite also includes a Furuno radar.

The deck equipment consists of anchor handling, towing, and tugger winches from Tecnospirit and Kraaijeveld. The seven-strong crew are meanwhile housed in five cabins.

Ocean Energy has already begun serving its initial contract, supporting a cable installation project in Danish waters.

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