A pair of 39-metre, multi-purpose crew transfer vessels, MHO Gurli and MHO Esbjerg, built by Bintang Timur Samudera in Indonesia, have been delivered to MH-O and Co. to be operated by Orsted at its Hornsea Project One offshore wind farm in the United Kingdom.
The vessels, designed by Incat Crowther, are reportedly the largest wind farm support vessels to enter service to date anywhere in the world. Compliance is provided to DNV-GL class notation +1A HSLC Crew R1 Windfarm and Danish Maritime Authority (DMA) requirements, which includes specific rules for the transport of up to 24 offshore technicians.
The platform was specifically designed to deliver exceptional sea-keeping, stability and comfort, whilst accommodating a highly redundant quad-engine/quad-jet propulsion package.
Unique to these vessels is the installation of continuously rated marine diesel engines, offering increase reliability and reduced maintenance costs.
The large platform is maximised with an aft-mounted superstructure, affording space on the stern for a transverse 20-foot container and an extensive working deck forward.
The result of a collaborative effort between MH-O and Co. and Incat Crowther, this layout offers impressive functionality and accommodates many different load conditions including a variety of turbine maintenance operations.
Among these operations is a turbine gearbox swap. With the turbine gearboxes weighing in at 32 tonnes each, this operation requires a stable and well-designed platform.
Other equipment on the main working deck includes a deck crane, ship's boat and EU pallet tie-downs, in addition to hard points for task-specific winch installations. In total, 100 linear feet of containers can be carried on this deck, with mounting feet every 10 feet allowing for flexible combinations of either two by 40-foot, five by 20-foot or 10 by 10-foot containers. Three reefer plugs are also installed.
MHO Gurli has increased the ability to service further offshore, in greater sea conditions and with larger carrying capacity, and is working well having already been approved for transfers in significant wave heights exceeding two metres.
The main deck cabin is entered through the wet foyer at the aft end, with lockers, showers, toilets and change facilities for technicians and crew. Forward of this is a crew lounge to port and a crew lounge to starboard. Seating for 24 technicians is provided forward of this, with excellent forward visibility and KAB suspension seats enhancing comfort.
A set of stairs each side from the main deck cabin lead to the hulls, which house large storage and workshop facilities amidships and resting areas forward.
Upstairs, the mid-deck houses sleeping quarters for six crewmembers and two spare cabins, all in single berth cabins. Pairs of cabins share an ensuite, while the master and officer cabins have their own ensuite bathrooms.
MHO Gurli and MHO Esbjerg are operated from the third deck, where the wheelhouse and workstations enjoy uninterrupted vision of the turbine tower and surrounding working areas.
The wheelhouse is fitted with a Furuno navigation and communications package, and Humphree active interceptors provide motion dampening. Manoeuvring is assisted by a Rolls Royce "DP 0" positioning system, allowing safer operations around the turbine tower.
The foredeck is fitted with an Amco Veba deck crane, of 1.61 tonnes at 11.9 metres capacity, and a re-fuelling pump boasting 750 litres per minute to 23 metres head with 30 metres of hose.
The vessels are fitted with a quad propulsion package, comprising four Rolls Royce S50-3 waterjets and four Cummins K38-M 746kW main engines. Power transmission is through Reintjes 430 VLJ gearboxes and steel cardan shafting.
This package gives MHO Gurli and MHO Esbjerg excellent flexibility and manoeuvrability, as well as redundancy.
The top speed is 30 knots and service speed 25 knots, with endurance of 14 days of 24-hour operation, and capacity for 62,000 litres of fuel.
| MHO Gurli & MHO Esbjerg | |
| SPECIFICATIONS | |
| Type of vessel: | OSV – WFSV |
| Classification: | DNV |
| Port of registry: | Esbjerg |
| Flag: | Denmark |
| Owner: | MH-O and Co., Denmark |
| Operator: | Ørsted, Denmark |
| Designer: | Incat Crowther |
| Builder: | Bintang Timur Samudera, Indonesia |
| Construction material: | Aluminium 5083 |
| Plate cutting: | CNC router |
| Length overall: | 38.6 metres |
| Length waterline: | 35.9 metres |
| Beam: | 10.3 metres |
| Draught: | 1.8 metres |
| Depth: | 4.25 metres |
| Deadweight: | 80.14 tonnes |
| Gross tonnage: | <400 |
| Main engines: | 4 x Cummins KTA 38, each 746kW |
| Gearboxes: | 4 x Reintjes 430 |
| Propulsion: | 4 x Kamewa S50-3 waterjets |
| Auxiliary engines: | 2 x Cummins QD 50Hz 50 kW |
| Side thrusters: | 2 x DT2 bow thrusters, each 42kW |
| Maximum speed: | 30 knots @100% MCR |
| Cruising speed: | 25 knots |
| Range: | 950nm @ 25 knots |
| Electronics supplied by: | Furuno |
| Seating: | 24 x KAB 61-K4 |
| Lighting: | LED lighting |
| Floor/deck surface finishes: | Anti-skid deck surface; Vinyl and carpet floorings |
| Interior fitout/furnishings: | Ayres honeycomb panels; Dampa ceiling tiles |
| Liferafts: | 2 x Solas-approved, each 30-pax |
| Fuel capacity: | 2 x 16,250 litres |
| Fuel consumption: | 4 x 189.2 litres/hour @ 100% MCR (main engines) |
| Freshwater capacity: | 2,500 litres |
| Crew: | 6 |
| Passengers: | 24 |