IDOCKWISER Nº3 SPRING 2008 dockwise.com
Oslo Stock Exchange Dockwise officially listed Page 12
ONE OF Dockwise’S core valueS
Reliability Page 20
DOCKSPECIAL:
REMARKABLE PROJECTS Page 28
DOCKWISE PROUDLY PRESENTS... Dockwise serves its clients with a fleet of 22 semi-submersible vessels of different types and designs, all of which are in top condition. 15 open-deck heavy transport vessels, from which 4 to be converted, 3 dock-type vessels, primarily used for transporting port and industry-related cargo and 4 vessels permanently deployed as luxury yacht carriers. Let us give you a brief presentation of our fleet.
TARGET
Length:
TRANSPORTER
TALISMAN
Length:
TRUSTEE
181 m
Width: 40 m Capacity: 27,720 tons
Dock-type vessels
Scheduled to return to service by the end of 2008; the next cargo projects are already at her doorstep.
MIGHTY SERVANT 1
Length:
190 m
225 m
Width: 63 m Capacity: 76,061 tons
50 m 40,190 tons
The world's largest heavy transport carrier Blue Marlin is able to carry ultra large heavy cargoes.
Last year the MS1 pumped 1.46 billion liters of water in and out of its ballast tanks while loading and discharging.
Blue marlin
BLACK MARLIN 42 m 57,021 tons
T-class type of vessel
Swan
TEAL
Black marlin
SWAN
The large open cargo deck makes the vessels ideally suited to transport large and oversized cargoes.
To be converted in 2008 and 2009.
Mighty servant 3
SWIFT
218 m
TRIUMPH
These new heavy lift vessels, after the merge with Sealift, joined the fleet of Dockwise in 2007/2008.
Yacht carriers
BLUE MARLIN
217 m
Width: 45 m Capacity: 54,000 tons
TYPE OF VESSELS Open-deck vessels
TREASURE
MIGHTY SERVANT 3
TERN Length:
181 m
Width: 32 m Capacity: 32,650 tons
All vessels can carry heavy cargo up to 25,000 tons on their 126.8 by 31.6 metre deck. They can submerge to load and discharge cargo by means of the float-on/ float-off method. Roll-on/roll-off, skid-on/skid-off and lift-on/lift-off procedures - or any of these methods - can also be employed.
TRANSSHELF 173 m 40 m 34,030 tons Responsible for the longest trip made until today: 14,675 nautical miles, from South Korea to Nigeria.
Transshelf
SUPER SERVANT 3
SUPER SERVANT 4
Length:
169 m
139 m
Width: 32 m Capacity: 14,138 tons
32 m 17,600 tons
Super Servant 3 and 4, two open-deck heavy transport vessels, have been modified to serve as yacht carriers.
Modifications included dock-type sidewalls for additional cargo safety.
DOCK EXPRESS 10
DOCK EXPRESS 12
ENTERPRISE
EXPLORER
YACHT EXPRESS
Length:
159 m
158 m
159 m
209 m
Width: 32 m Capacity: 12,928 tons
24 m 13,110 tons
29 m 8,727 tons
31 m 10,763 tons
32 m 16,250 tons
This vessel is equipped with special loading and discharging facilities such as roll-on/roll-off jack bogies and fork-lift outriggers for quayside load-outs.
The Dock Express 12 has a cargo dock with a 8-metrehigh side wall, ensuring safe transport of yachts.
The semi-submersible dock-type carrier Enterprise has a cargo dock with 9.55 metre high side walls.
The Explorer has been converted into yacht carrier and is dedicated to transport yachts around the world.
The largest vessel of its kind in the world, Yacht Express was purpose-built with a semi-submersible dock bay.
159 m
Page 2 DOCKWISER
Dock express 10
Yacht express
DOCKWISER Page 3
CONTENTS
FROM THE CEO
Core values
We take the load!
Part 2: reliablity
20
Dockwise Listing marks new beginning
CFO Malfliet: “It gives a company a lot more transparency and visibility for clients, suppliers and investors, as all the information about the company is publicly available.”
NOBLE
corporation
12
Noble Corporation is the world’s second largest offshore drilling contractor, and a client of Dockwise. A sneak preview of the ‘dry’ transport of Noble Jim Day semi-submersible rig to the Gulf of Mexico.
24
This third edition of Dockwiser addresses one of the most important pillars of our organisation: reliability. As a transport company of exceptionally heavy loads by sea for the maritime and Oil & Gas industry, we are responsible for the safety of many people, products and of course the environment. Over the years we have achieved a lot in these areas, certificates showing we do things right, cooperation with environmentalists such as the International SeaKeepers Society to track the conditions of seawater, and clients who put their trust in our maritime transport and engineering capabilities. This year Dockwise will deploy even more initiatives to increase the safety and reliability of everything we touch; loads and people. More security courses for our staff, more safety cases for fleet crews, more trained manpower in our Safety, Health, Environment & Security (SHES) department, and more and better protection onboard the fleet. Reliability is also an important issue when talking about stock rates. Our listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange, something of which I am very proud, shows we have strengthened our position as a reliable partner in heavy maritime transport. A wonderful environment for our organisation as many similar companies are also listed here and analysts and investors know what our business is all about. The official listing crowned a remarkably busy year for our company. Have a look at some of our achievements of 2007 in the box. And last but not least it is important for a marketleader to prove what this core value means to us, in everything we do. One occasion to do so will be the OTC in Houston which Dockwise will attend early May. We are in the middle of preparations to show you what reliability means to one of our main business strategic opportunities; float-overs. Please come and visit us and experience our ideas about reliability. The waves of change will pleasantly surprise you! André Goedée Chief Executive Officer
DOCKSPECIAL
Remarkable projects: Dockwise on a grand scale
28
Highlights
Editorial 5
CONSIDER IT DONE!
Page 4 DOCKWISER
Docknews 6
Dockwise is to transport Muda, a huge, 20,000-ton production platform. “It is ferociously complex to transport a platform of this size and format safely.”
Next issue 43
18
Captain’S STORY 44
DYT supporting International Seakeepers Society 42
n in 2006). SD 252 millio ore 290 million (U D US of GX deck offsh to n % tio 15 lla ta creased th generation for example ins y: ull • Revenue in 6 ssf a cce of su ge, transport ojects executed . the same voya • Milestone pr est SPAR ever 3 jack-up rigs on of rt SPAR , the larg po ti ns hi Ta tra , e ). th 06 of 20 Nigeria rt in po on ns illi tra 2m sible rig and illion (USD 10 semi-submer to USD 141 m 2006). increased 39% in DA IT 0% EB (4 d % ste ODL. • Adju increased to 45 alift, OKI and IT DA margin quisition of Se ac e th ng on di g clu • Adjusted EB tin ll lis illion in llowed by a fu of USD 908 m May 2007 fo • Total CAPEX t in Oslo on 4 ke ar m C OT 07. • Listing on 2 October 20 in 2007. Exchange on 08. three vessels the Oslo Stock th wi et e course of 20 fle l na io at er cted during th op pe of ex be to ) on S3 illi M m • Expansion 3 cl. 23 (in ojects of USD e more vessels y Lift (DHL) pr Delivery of fiv Dockwise Heav of g lo ck ba r nd • Total orde ion, to be arou on). MS3 contribut USD 224 milli nue, including th 2007. (Y TD Q3 2007 ve wi e re lin cts in pe y ex dl oa anagement DA margin br • For 2008, m Adjusted EBIT ion. Expected ill m 0 50 D US
DOCKWISER Page 5
docknews
“Dockwise is on the move, just like what I do.”
Harry Honcoop Age: 49 Position: Senior CAD Ope rator at Dockwise since 1994
d weldedeck r o t p Ada cargo at l to the the vesse of
Seafastenings connected to the adaptor
What projects are you working on at the moment? “Preparations for the transport of a SPAR buoy. It shipped on Migh will be ty Servant 1, a su bmersible that is for our heavy carg ideal oes. The buoy wi ll be loaded in Fi and unloaded in nland the US Gulf near Corpus Christi, other companies where will actually insta ll it at sea. They wi pump it up and ll make sure it is ve rtical instead of zontal after which horithe so-called top sides, usually liv and production ing units, will be sec ured in place. Th no piece of cake is is , we are dealing with a monster he is 175 metres lon re that g, has a cross sec tion of 36 metres weighs about 21 and ,000 tons.”
Page 6 DOCKWISER
With Computer Aided Design (CA D) laymen tend to think of design. Does this also apply to you? “At Dockwise a CAD Operator does not design only. He has to collect all data required to carry out a transport assignment and lay down in two and three dimensio nal drafts how that cargo must be positioned on board and transported. In consultation with company Engineers responsi ble for calculating all the forces and acceptable speeds at sea and so on, the CAD Operator prepares such things as load/unl oad plan, support plan and sea-fastening plan. He also verifi es whether sufficient equipment is available onboard to secure and support the cargo. For each transport project a transport man ual is created containing all the client’s specifications. The man ual is also submitted to the insurance surveyor.’’ What is most fascinating about your work? “Variety probably … and the shee r size of what we are working with. Fortunately I am not at my desk all the time. One interesting part is the occasional trip abro ad when I get the chance to test theories and see things in prac tice. I used to work in the yacht sector. Back then I used to occasionally go on transport trips and even helped carry out load /unload activities myself.” “Dockwise is on the move, just like what I do. The company does not focus exclu sively on maritime transport and maritime projects, but increasingly has to handle transpor t by land, the Onshore industrial projects. Our CAD department is also experiencing a shift - from two-dimensional to three-dimen sional reproduction. Emphasis in the futu re will be on visualisation and animation. In thes e animations we want to display the entire proc ess, from loading activities to tugboats sailing around during unload and submerse activities.”
la VII Jack-up rig Gorildam Rotter built by the loaded in t wa s Jac a VII k-up rig tha
The Rowa n Gorill been loaded recently au Super Gorilla has Marathon LeTourne s, on board Mighty rdam, The Netherland in the harbor of Rotte k-up rig will be Jac I VI a rill age the Go Ser vant 1. After its voy rig p is operated by a, Angola. The Jack-u discharged in Luand Inc. Rowan Companies and heavy cargo: I is both a very large VI a rill Go n wa Ro The 27,897 metric ton ing igh We .43 meters. its overall length is 121 t have ever been jack-up drilling rigs tha it’s one of the heaviest cifications of the spe g stin ere ise. Other int transported by Dockw .28 meter and the ght of no less than 195 cargo are the total hei nsported for Rowan tra rig t meter. The firs overall width of 91.44 the summer of 1982. Rowan Alaska during Companies Inc. was the
May 5-8, 2008
Agenda
Houston, USA OTC 2008
Conference will be The 2008 Off shore Technology , Texas, USA . It is held at Reliant Center in Houston t for professionals, even the premier offshore industry er and discuss gath to liers supp service industries and lopment. Technolodeve urce reso n ocea of common issues c, social, and omi gical innovations and forums on econ and environent lopm political aspects of resource deve of this worldy nsta mai the n bee e mental protection hav on page 8+9 wide conference. More information www.otcnet.org
Sep tember 15-18, 2008
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil www.ibp.org.br
r Adaptoated gener Microstation in 3D system. CAD-
Agenda December 3-5, 2008, Perth,
DOT
Australia
Deepwater offshore Australia pres ents one of the most challenging exploration and production operatin g regions of the world. Operators there encounter the full scope of technology challenges – deepwa ter conditions, remote field locations, hostile environment, seafloor issu es, difficult currents, flow assuran ce issues, long distances from infr astructure, logistical challenges, isola tion from heavy lift and installation vessels. This year’s DOT add resses virtually every technology issue that a deepwater operator will ever have to face. These challen ges open up a vast number of technica l topics for the upcoming conferen ce program. PennWell is committed to bringing DOT to the world’s most pertinen t deepwater markets. Offshore Aus tralia is experiencing a boom in offshore exploration and producti on. Many prominent players in the oilfield will gather for this most prestigious conference and exhibiti on. http://doti08.events.pennnet.com /fl/index.cfm December 2-4, 2008, North/ South Building, Orange County Convention Center, Orl ando, FL USA
POWER-GEN International
In 1988, POWER-GEN Internation al was introduced to the industry and was met with success as it began building its foundation in Orlando, Florida. Twenty years later, returning to Orlando as the largest, most trusted and well esta blished power event, POWERGEN International brings the indu stry together for three days of education, training, networking and new business negotiation. http://pgi08.events.pennnet.com /fl//index.cfm
Agenda 08 December
2-5, 20
Singapore8 OSEA 200
plore orm to ex ideal platf arket share e th u o y 8 brings x p an d m ives OSE A 200 usiness avenues, e . T he exhibition g b ts s e a rk g oil and rging ma the region’s h trate eme and pene nce to network wit om these opport fr cha fi a ro rs p o d it n is v akers a sh d n a rs m ove ur stand. e you at o m tunities. o lc e w rward to We look fo -asia.com www.osea DOCKWISER Page 7
docknews
Onshore industri al pr
Dockwise rides the waves of change At OTC 2008 Dockwise will hav square meter stand and visitors e a 200 will, among other experiences, be able to see wh overs, part of the company’s strategy at float, are about. Jaqueline van den Bergen, Doc kwise Manager internal & External Communications: “The Dockwise logo launch was last year at OTC. The brand new booth concept was one part of the launch. A lot of visitors liked it so we leave the basic concept unchanged. With one exceptio n; visitors are more than welcome to have a look at our float-over model, and, if they are interested, to view a lapt op presentation about float-overs. In the meantime they can enjoy a cup of Starbucks coffee. Especially when we are telling our stories as to why Dockwise has successfu lly achieved a leading position as maritime heav y lift transporter. And when we show what Dockwise can now do technically and organizationally with its onshore industrial projects.” Float-overs are opening a new era for Dockwise; which can already point to two impressi ve completed projects: transport of the Shenzi TLP hull and the Maari project (see pages 32 and 36 in this Doc kwiser). Visitors will be able to talk to representatives of ODL/ODC and OK I, both sinc e Aug ust 2007 part of the Dockwise group of companies. OK I lead s the indu stry in floa tover deck mat ing, perform ing complete eng ineering , system design, test ing and supply, and offshore supervision dur ing inst allation. ODL/ODC provides engineering and consulting services to the offshore industry. The sites www.oceandyn.com, and www.offshorekinematics.com will tell the curious reader more.
Page 8 DOCKWISER
ojects Michel Seij, Lead Pro ject Engineer, comme nts on Dockwise’s new cou rse: “Over the recent past years Dockwise has made a clearer distinction bet ween its various heavy lift disciplines. Partially bec ause of increasing demand for onshore industria l projects & offshore transport & installation by mean s by means of float-over technology. In line with the one-s top principle, Dockwise is seeking to handle all the var ious components of the whole process; loading and transport up to delivery and local on site instal lations. Many engine ering disciplines are involved; transp ort, marine, structure , project engineering risk analysis and tec , hnical drawing. An d that is not counting the essentia l office support of leg al, co mmercial and sales operations. Good com munication and coo rdination bet ween all these departments and people is essent ial.” OTC 2008 5-8 May
OTC, is the world’s foremost event for the development of offshore resou rces in the fields of drilling, explorat production, and en ion, vironmental protec tion. OTC is held at the Reliant Cente r in Houston. At tendance consisten exceeds 70,000, tly and more than 2,0 00 companies pa pate in the exhibitio rticin. OTC attracts att endees from around the globe , with more than 110 countries represented at rec ent conferences. OTC is sponsored by 12 industry or ganizations and societies, that work together to develop the techn ical program each year. OTC also ha s two endorsing organizations and six supporting organizations. Th e 2008 theme, Waves of Change , reflects the indus try’s transition as project scopes and parameters are stretched to fulfill ever-incre asing demand. Ch anges in technology as well as cha nges in the work force highlight the need not only to keep pace but to anticipate future developme nts. As the rate of change accelerates will our ind ustry ride the Wa ves of Change? www.otcnet.org
n (left) n Berge e d n a v ne n (right) Jacquelia nda Brow and Am
DOCKWISER Page 9
docknews
Dockwise performs wave impact study on thrusters of semisubmersible rigs With an increase in deepwater exploration, the demand for deepwater drilling rigs has increased significantly as well. Currently, there are about 50 new build deepwater rigs under construction in various fabrication yards in mainly the Far East. Most of these rigs go on contract in Brazil, US Gulf and Europe and as such need to be transported over long distances. ters of these rigs In the case of dry transportation, the thrus rigs, close to rsible ubme hang underneath the hull of the semi-s loads during t impac wave to ed expos the water surface, and are motions of roll to due ly main are loads These the transport. te piece delica a are the ship while sailing in waves. As thrusters in the t insigh good very a have of equipment, it is desirable to ort. transp the g durin load drag and t impac magnitude of the ocomp s variou Predicting these loads is not easy as there are nents that need to be calculated:
As thrusters are a delicate piece of equipment, it is desirable to have a very good insight in the magnitude of the impact and drag load during the TRANSPORT
Page 10 DOCKWISER
> Motions of the ship during transit neath the rig hull > Wave patterns ‘hitting’ the thrusters under er thrust the on > Vertical load of the waves > Horizontal drag load on the thruster Using most up to date industry standard software, accurate ship motion calculations and predicting wave patterns are at the basis of predicting the wave loads on the thrusters. Calculating the actual impact and drag loads on a complex shape like a thruster is the most difficult part.
ing study and model Dockwise has performed an engineer manufacturers of these tests in joint effort with one of the s. During the model load thrusters in order to predict these loads on a scale drag and ct impa tests at MAR IN, wave with the impact her toget ured meas were ster thru model of a r surface. By wate the hit velocity with which the thrusters patterns wave the ster, thru the of varying the orientation what the best in ed gain was ht insig d, spee and traveling But most of all, the tran spor t confi guration wou ld be. validate a tool that to used results of the model tests were The tool consists s. neer engi e’ kwis Doc was developed by use input parameters of a set of logical equations, which ng the thruster senti repre dimensions, wave characteristics and impact velocities. The developed tool enables Dockwise to study feasibility of various transports of semisubmersible rigs with thrusters mounted to their keel. By making transport calculations and varying the departure date and the allowable wave heights during the transport, an accurate prediction of the impact loads can be made for the rig owners and the manufacturers of the thrusters, while the tool enables Dockwise to plan these transport in great detail with the objective to move another cargo safe to it’s destination.
DOCKWISER Page 11
STOCKEXCHANGE
Dockwise listing marks new beginning The official listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange last October crowned a remarkable year for Dockwise. What was possibly the most significant period of change in the company’s history kicked off with parent company Heerema’s sale of its stake in Dockwise to private equity firm 3i in January 2007. This was quickly followed by the acquisition of Sealift, which gave Dockwise a listing on the Oslo over-the-counter (OTC) market. And as if the company was not already busy enough preparing for the official listing, in August 2008 Dockwise announced the acquisition of ODL/ODC and OKI, which effectively marked the company’s transition from a leading heavy lift transport operator to a full-service float-over installation contractor.
Text Garry Piggot Photography CORBIS
Page 12 DOCKWISER
The official listing in Oslo may have marked the end of a remarkably busy time for the company, and especially for CEO André Goedée and CFO Stefan Malfliet, but Malfliet believes what it really marks is a new beginning for Dockwise. A beginning that puts it firmly on the road to realizing its ambitious growth targets. “The listing has to be viewed in the light of the three pillars of the company’s strategy,” he says. These are to develop the core business of transport management of large structures in a variety of market segments, plus the yacht transport business. The second is to actually install those structures offshore using float-over technology. And last but not least, the third pillar of the strategy is to get closely involved in the development of large onshore industrial projects, through the transport and installation of modules for industrial plants. “It was never going to be possible to implement this strategy as part of the Heerema Group, as Heerema had its own strategic goals, which were different from ours. This was why Heerema sold us to 3i, a move that, together
with significant investment in our core business, gave an enormous boost to our strategy.” Do it right! Indeed, just a few months after the 3i takeover, Dockwise acquired Bermuda-based peer Sealift, which is currently converting four tankers into semisubmersible heavy transport vessels. Two vessels have already been converted and are in service. And that takes us quite neatly to the listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange, Malfliet says. “Sealift was already listed on the OTC market. The problem was that many investors cannot invest on the OTC market. So we thought, let’s do this right and go for a full listing.” In just two weeks, Malfliet and André Goedée gave no less than 160 presentations to investment banks and institutional investors in the world’s leading financial centres. “We also had meetings with consultants, and a lot of lawyers preparing the 280-page listing prospectus. Luckily for us, we have a really DOCKWISER Page 13
STOCKEXCHANGE We are now an independent contractor, financially too, with a clear ambition and a proven track record in realizing that
ambition
good and very interesting story to tell, so telling it over and over again was part of the fun.” Transparency, visibility and talent A listing on the official stock exchange requires a lot of work and involves a huge amount of red tape and scrutiny from the stock exchange, regulators and investors. “But the flip side”, Malfliet says, “is that it gives a company a lot more transparency and visibility for clients, suppliers, investors, as all the information about the company is publicly available. It also makes you much more visible to potential key staff, making it easier to attract talent. Just two years ago, Dockwise was a real niche player and not many people had heard of us. They certainly have now and we’re having no trouble recruiting energetic and committed employees.” Complete proposition “A stock exchange listing also gives you a lot more flexibility in terms of how you execute your strategy,” Malfliet adds. “A perfect example of this was the acquisition in August 2007 of ODL/ODC and OKI right in the midst of the hectic preparations for the IPO (Initial Public Offering, the first sale of stock). Because we didn’t have much to do,” he laughs. “But seriously, we’d already invested around US$ 800 mln in the core business last year, with the acquisition of Sealift. Then we invested in the float-over business, which we see as key to success of our strategy. Combining these companies with Dockwise puts us in a different league. Not only do we have the capability to transport very large structures, and manage and execute float-overs, we also have leading-edge engineering capabilities. This makes us a much more complete proposition for customers,” Malfliet explains. Dockwise can now transport and install complete structures weighing more than 20,000 tons, compared with the 10,000 tons maximum that can be lifted by a
Page 14 DOCKWISER
CLAUDIA MENNENVERMEULE
Age: 34 Position: Department Manager Finance and Accounting
crane vessel. “So we can transport the structure and install it all in one go. This saves the cost of integrating various modules on-site, as everything is assembled and tested at the yard. It’s almost as simple as putting the structure in place and plugging it in,” says Claudia Mennen-Vermeule, Department Manager Finance and Accounting. “And of course, the stock exchange listing also gives the company another currency to finance its expansion”, Mennen-Vermeule says, noting that the ODL and OKI acquisitions were part financed with shares. “The listing gives you the full range of financing tools. This puts us on a level playing field with our competitors. Not to mention that, again, it makes us a lot more attractive to existing and potential employees, which is essential to a company that’s growing as fast as Dockwise. Since 2004, we’ve gone from 80 people onshore and 600 offshore, to 350 people onshore and over 1200 offshore.” Why Oslo? The fact that Sealift was already listed on the OTC, made this choice quite clear. That, in combination with the knowledge of a number of Norwegian analysts that follow the industry as well as a large Norwegian shareholder, Frontline, ultimately influenced the decisions. Dockwise could hardly have chosen a better time to increase its visibility and - with the help of ODL and DOCKWISER Page 15
STOCKEXCHANGE Ocean Dynamics (ODL) is an engineering consulting company with offices in Houston, Texas and a subsidiary, Ocean Dynamics China (ODC) in Shenzhen City, near Hong Kong. The company provides engineering and consulting services to the offshore industry, specializing in the analysis and design of fixed and floating offshore structures, marine analysis and design, mooring systems and offshore transportation and float-over installations. Sister company Offshore Kinematics (OKI) is a leading engineering, design, testing and supply operation for float-over installation systems, and has developed several proprietary systems and designs that have become critical to the float-over process.
OKI - transform itself from a heavy lift transport operator to a full-service float-over installation contractor, with few real competitors. After years of underspending, the oil industry is being forced to replenish reserves and annual corporate investment in offshore platforms and equipment is now around US$ 100 bn and only likely to increase. “And that’s just part of our market. Future investment will come from a lot more sources, such as national oil companies. Venezuela and Russia are already investing huge amounts. If you add onshore industrial plant development, I think demand for our services will be a lot more varied and dispersed, and much greater,” Malfliet says. Pay-off time Despite the time and effort devoted to the Oslo listing and acquisitions, Dockwise was still able to increase its operating profit by 40% compared with the record result booked in 2006. And Malfliet fully expects this year to be even better. Teaming up with ODL and OKI very quickly proved to be a very smart move indeed. In August of last year, almost before the ink was dry on the acquisition agreements, the company was awarded a major contract for the float-over and installation of an offshore module by the Thai-Malaysian company CPOC (Carigali-PTTEPI Operation Company). “We now have the most diverse fleet of semi-submersible vessels in the world, plus engineering and project management capabilities, and ODL and OKI’s expertise in the installation of offshore modules. This shows that everything we’ve done over the past year or so, including the listing, is paying off.”
Page 16 DOCKWISER
More to come Not that Dockwise is planning to rest on its laurels any time soon. Malfliet and Mennen-Vermeule stress that the company will continue to invest in its core business and new technology, while intensifying relationships with customers. There are already plans to expand the worldwide network of offices, to be as close as possible to those customers. And the company will continue to look at potential oppor-tunities or alliances to increase its range of products and services. “We are now an independent contractor, financially too, with a clear ambition and a proven track record in realizing that ambition. We are still very ambitious, and have passion and dedication in all we do. What I’d say right now is watch this space.”
For more information visit www.oceandyn.com and www.offshorekinematics.com
STEFAN MALFLIET
Age: 35 Position: Chief Financial Officer
DOCKWISER Page 17
CONSIDER IT DONE!
Dockwise to transport ‘Muda’, a 20,000-ton production platform
Giant ON a journey For the CPOC joint venture between oil companies Petronas Caligari (Malaysia) and PTTEP (Thailand), a huge production platform is currently being built at the SMOE yard in Singapore. Dockwise has been given the responsibility of transporting the giant, now with the name Muda, and positioning it at location. Text Guus Peters Photograpy Dockwise
But before that, an eight leg structure first has to be placed on the seabed – the so-called jacket – on which the Muda platform will be placed. This jacket is currently being built in Malaysia. Once in place, this will be followed some time later by the operation to load out the Muda platform from the yard onto the heavy transport vessel, transport it to location and position it on the jacket. Platform transport sounds very simple, but it is not. It is ferociously complex to transport a platform of this size and format safely, explains Ben van der Hoeven, Dockwise Proposal Manager for the project, “You are talking about 20,000 tons (or 20 million kilos if you prefer – ed.) and some impressive dimensions. The platform is five storeys high and measures 60 by 80 metres.” Almost the surface area of a football field (less one penalty area). Page 18 DOCKWISER
Selfpropelled vessel “We will use the Black Marlin for this job, which is the third largest vessel of the Dockwise fleet,” says Van der Hoeven. “Actually the platform does not have to go very far – the location is only three days sailing, which means the use of a selfpropelled vessel is not really necessary. But the client chose a selfpropelled unit over a towed transport barge. The vessel will have to manoeuver backwards between two rows of jacket legs positioned at precisely the right distance so that the Black Marlin can fit in between them,” says Ben. In view of the dimensions was Dockwise already being considered a possible installation contractor in the platform development stages? “Clients often take this into consideration,” says Van der Hoeven, “We were selected because of our professionalism, pricing and the fact we were able to offer a separate contract for the transport and installation. Transport and installation of the Muda platform have been separately contracted in addition to the many other contracts that the client has to sign when developing an oil field.” Expensive cargo The CPOC Muda is projected to reach its high point in August 2009, but preparations are already in full swing. No wonder, says Van der Hoeven: “It’s a matter of getting it completely right, not just partly right. It either goes 100% well or completely wrong. The transport involves a very expensive cargo – such a platform can easily cost 500 million dollars – and all risks therefore need to be minimised, preferably excluded. So we are currently
developing procedures and plans, and looking at how we might need to adapt the carrier vessel for optimal safety and effectiveness. For example, skids will be placed on deck to allow platform movement, and these alone will add some 1,500 tons of steel on board. Such adjustments mean the vessel will be at a yard for some time.” According to planning the Black Marlin will arrive at the SMOE yard in Singapore mid July next year. After countless preparatory activities, the Muda platform will be loaded out using some very impressive hydraulic equipment, certainly when you are looking from close-up. “That will easily take a day,” says Van der Hoeven. “The art is to manage the ballast water in the vessel so that as the weight of the platform passes from the quayside to the vessel, the vessel does not tilt or roll and is kept precisely horizontal and up against the quayside and simultaneously address the tidal movements. But our vessels are equipped for the purpose and our crews can all do this faultlessly. Even if a system fails, we can rely on ample build in redundancy in our vessels and in our working procedures. Nonetheless a load out is an exciting time. 20 centimetres… Once the platform is safely on board, it will be securely welded to the ship’s deck for the sea journey. And early August the Dockwise crew will cast off and the Muda will be on its way to its destination. Needless to say, checks will have been made with the weather specialists. “To ensure calm seas the time of year is chosen with a low chance of bad weather. And if there is a time overrun and the monsoon begins, it won’t be a big problem, but we prefer to avoid that.” says Van der Hoeven. At location tugs will be waiting for Dockwise to assist with carefully manoeuvering the Black Marlin between the jacket legs. This last manoeuvre is very important. Van der Hoeven explains, “There’s only 20 centimetres free space on each side, so we have to be exactly right..
BEN VAN DER HOEVEN
A Load out is an EXCITING TIME
Age: 43 Position: Proposal Manager
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core valueS part 2: Reliability
One of the three core values of Dockwise is reliability. It is expressed in such factors as the condition of vessels, and the high standards Dockwise applies to safety, quality and service. In practice it means planning, estimating, training, co-operating, innovating and always thinking ahead. Text Ivanka Eggly Photography Klaas Slot
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“Reliability is critically important to Dockwise. One of our statements to our customers after all is ‘we take care of your cargo’. That is why we have to live up to their expectations”, explains Peter Schäfer, manager HSES. “Reliability is part of what we deliver, and as well as all hardware and people, it covers quality, safety, health and the environment. To keep us alert we are certified to ISO 9001 (Quality) standards and the Dockwise HSES (Health, Safety, Environment and Security)
management system is currently being upgraded and extended to cope with company’s strategy and the internationally recognized ISO 14001 (environment) and OHSAS 18001 (safety) standards. It also means that our staff undergoes constant training to work in the safest way possible, and to keep up to date on new projects, technologies and developments. Eugene Kolesnikov, lead HSES engineer, adds: “Our customers, logically, want certainty and safety, because if something goes DOCKWISER Page 21
core valueS wrong with the cargo we are transporting for them, the resulting costs for them are incredible. Insurers don’t like that much either. And cargoes of course can contain substances that are hazardous to people and the environment. If something goes wrong, it can also damage the company’s reputation. We carefully prepare every step of every operation. In 2008 we will further expand and develop our safety procedures, as mentioned before, and extra vessel ‘safety cases’. Dockwise will never sit back where safety and reliability are concerned. We are travelling in the right direction, but do not think there are no improvements we can make. Our aim is always to go one step further and pro-actively identify and respond to risks.” Risk analyses Everything that concerns cargo transport is laid down in the Dockwise Management System. This means that nothing is left to chance, so for every transport of any size Dockwise estimates, analyses and describes everything from coming weather conditions, tides at port of arrival and departure, vessel stability, weight and dimensions of the cargo, response of the vessel to the loading/discharge method, quality control, safety measures to be taken during all project activities, crew health and so on. It’s a complex exercise and appropriate risk assessments are conducted for the various aspects of the project. Schäfer: “By making such risk assessments, we properly prepare for a transport. Before we actually put to sea there is an enormous preparation time for some of our projects. Engineering and, if necessary, construction or adaptation can take many months, all in all the complex preparations can take up to two years before we are ready for transport. Then proper loading and discharge of the vessel is essential, a complex or heavy transport may involve up to 50-100 people from the various contracting parties. Tahiti Spar A recent example of an impressive transport in which reliability played an extra important role was Page 22 DOCKWISER
the load out, transport and float off of the 25,000 ton ’Tahiti Spar’. Dockwise transported the 180 metre long and 40 metre diameter Spar Buoy on the Mighty Servant 1 from Pori in Finland to Ingleside - Texas in the United States. Project manager Frank Berrens explains: “Reliability means for us keeping our promises. To transport the Tahiti Spar we needed to be in Finland on April 4th, and we were there on April 4th!” He adds; “reliability is achieved by thorough preparation. An important and vital leitmotief for successful project management at Dockwise is always to have in the back of your head, that ‘the devil is in the detail’. We sailed all the way from Australia, with a stopover in South Africa to exchange crew and have an experienced captain invest the time to get to know the ship well. Then during the preparatory port call in Rotterdam a trial submerging was performed, which allowed us to assess if everything would work as it should. While we were sure the crew and the vessel could be relied upon, we put the client’s mind at rest by proving it. Being reliable also means mitigating or reducing all risks. Early on in the engineering phase we involve the whole team in identifying them. One particular result was that we convinced our client to use extra side tanks and a support barge to optimise stability during float off. And all the time we are investing best efforts in anticipating risks. We travelled to the yards in Finland and USA and held HAZIDs with all involved – hazard identification programmes. All possible ‘what ifs’ were considered. So for instance we even checked what would have to be done if a TV helicopter flew low and cut critical radio contact for a few minutes right in the middle of loading… We looked for risks everywhere, and created intelligent responses to all of them. Eventually we were sure all could be handled. Even those the experts sometimes missed. For sure we are reliable!” “Accidents can happen for the smallest reason, something really insignificant. So we insist on thorough preparation. We assess what action we must take if, for example, the cargo moves, or what we would do in the case of crew injury? In short, all operational risks, large and small, are listed and
evaluated. We look at the client’s procedures. We do our utmost to ensure that the transport is as free of risk and as controlled as possible.” NUCLEAR TRANSPORTS Another project in which reliability played a key role was in handling nuclear transports. Dockwise recently transported three decommissioned Russian nuclear powered submarines. Aart van de Hoonaard, project manager: “We started by consulting radiation experts to estimate radiation hazards. We naturally wanted to eliminate these or at least reduce them to acceptable levels. A special crew instruction programme was organised. All was carefully worked out in advance. Dockwise performed the load-outs, the radiation specialists performed the radiation checks and dedicated nuclear engineers did the seafastening.” He admits that at one location higher than expected radiation levels were discovered. “We solved this by giving the nuclear submarines more space and slightly moving the seafastenings away from the radiation. All on board the Dockwise vessel carried a dosimeter to record any radiation. After completion of the three transports it was found that radia-
tion received by all on board had remained well within acceptable limits. As a matter of fact the dosimeters on the vast majority of people did not record any radiation at all. Our clients were Russian Companies. The projects were sponsored by the Canadian and Norwegian Governments. They provided the financial resources to safely store the nuclear waste.”
Our aim is always TO pro-actively
identify and respond to risks
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NOBLEDRILLING’S JIM DAY PROJECT
The inside story of a large transport
Noble Corporation, the world’s second largest offshore drilling contractor, is an expert in working at great depth. Over coming years the company’s rigs will be in heavy demand so the company is currently building five new units to add to its fleet, and what it builds has to be put in place. A coming record breaking assignment will be the ‘dry’ transport of Noble Jim Day semi-submersible rig from its Singapore construction yard to the Gulf of Mexico. A sneak preview of some of the technical challenges come end-2008.
Harold Keys Position: Engineering Manager - Marine
Down to 7 miles/12 kilometers Noble is an impressive example of America’s skills and courage in the art of commercial innovation. All built on superb hardware, astute acquisition, long experience and constantly upgraded staff abilities. The Company’s strategy is based on expanding its international offshore drilling activities by raising rig numbers (by newbuilds and takeovers) and their capability (by upgrades and modifications). The Noble Jim Day (weighing in at 38,000 tons) will be able to drill down almost 12 kilometers. The company currently has a total of 62 drilling units. When a rig is built, or completes a contract, it has to be moved to the location of its first (or next) job, which may well be thousands of miles distant. Bearing in mind the daily expense of these units the time this move takes means a lot to the company P&L. The moves must be fast yet ultra-safe. Noble Drilling has often used Dockwise to move its rigs around the world. So far faultlessly.
Text Roger Thurman
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NOBLEDRILLING’S JIM DAY PROJECT
Dry faster than wet ‘Wet’ transports are those in which tugs tow the rig, either floating on its own or on a carrier pontoon. ‘Dry’ moves are those with the rig on board a separate self-propelled carrier vessel – the work in which Dockwise specializes. All things being equal, dry moves are faster than wet moves, and thus save the rig owner the equivalent of the income associated with the fewer days underway at sea. These can be significant. Thus the attraction of the Dockwise service.
Stowage plan of Noble Jim Day on board the Blue Marlin ready for departure. Against an estimated wet transport transit time of 87 days from Singapore to the Gulf of Mexico, the planned transit time of the transport using the Blue Marlin will be 47 days. The rig is named after ex-Noble Drilling CEO Jim Day, now retired, past inspiration for the company’s drive for dominance in the world of deep sea drilling.
Safe and on-time delivery Harold Keys is Noble Drilling’s Engineering Manager – Marine responsible for the Noble Jim Day transport. “Our concern centres on the safe and on-time delivery of our rigs.” he explains. “We and of course our insurers like to avoid surprises, time and cost overruns, and we have a driven need to get our rigs to work exactly on the date we promise to our clients. It makes for trust in the future.” He smiles. “One of the reasons we work with Dockwise. The Dutch seem to have a knack for this sort of thing.” With construction in Singapore in full swing, the transport is currently scheduled for year-end
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2009 though with all the many unknowns in the general build programmes, this could still vary widely. The narrow down scheme Keys explains further: “As far as rig transport date goes we have a special arrangement with Dockwise whereby we share all information that might affect the departure date. The ‘contract narrow down scheme’ means that based on our rig completion expectations, Noble has to provide Dockwise with an ever smaller departure window.” At contract signing the window is 75 days, 12 months before departure it is 45 days, 8 months before departure it is 30 days, and 4 months before departure it has to be 15 days. One month before the scheduled departure date we have to be down to one day and Dockwise will insure the Blue Marling arrives within a 15 day window of that date. All of this means that both Dockwise and Noble can count securely on a minimum of surprises and that the transport will leave on the day scheduled.” Having that transporter arrive just as the rig is readied for roll-out is a science, an art and a major gamble combined. Three main components Jan Wolter Oosterhuis is Dockwise USA Manager of the Business Development Department and Project Manager for the acquisition of large transports of semi-submersibles like the Noble Jim Day. “Besides JAN WOLTER OOSTERHUIS preparing a commercial offer, our Position: Manager first task is to look at the challenge Business Development technically. Get all information from Noble, decide on the vessel, prepare loading plans and procedures, fully model the rig on the Blue Marlin, get approval in principle and provisionally schedule the transport. He was helped in this by engineering specialists at Dockwise’s headquarters in
Breda and Ocean Dynamics Limited, which is Dockwise’s fully owned engineering branch with offices in Houston and China. The engineering team, among other key tasks forecast all the forces that could be sustained by rig and vessel in the various possible sea states. This gives essential data to Dockwise staff. “Our task breaks down into three main components,” explains Oosterhuis. “rig loading and seafastening, transit, and offloading. All have to be faultless, no surprises.” A lot of engineering time The Noble Jim Day will be floated on the Blue Marlin by ballasting and submerging the carrier, floating the rig into position above the carrier deck, deballasting and immediately commencing sea fastening. Oosterhuis: “To spread the huge forces of the rig on the vessel and the vessel on the rig, and avoid any local stress or damage, we will use a softwood cribbing arrangement between deck and rig structure. Once the rig is in position the welders go to work and weld seafastenings to the rig as to make it all ready for transit.” A lot of engineering time goes into preparing all the details of the transport in order to make the first trip around the world for this rig as smoothly as possible.
course to avoid bad weather and excessive dynamic loads on the rig and the ship. Arrival Voyage progress and projected arrival at off load site will be constantly monitored by Noble. Upon arrival at the discharge site offshore Louisiana work will immediately commence on preparing for the float-off. The Noble Jim Day thrusters, removed for the voyage on board the Blue Marlin will be replaced, the seafastenings removed and in broad lines the process of floaton reversed. The final picture will be the 38,000 tons of the Noble Jim Day safely at position at its scheduled drill site awaiting the installation and commissioning crew - oil, gas and mud men all. As all the tasks contracted for by Dockwise are completed so will the client sign off and say goodbye to the team that got his rig to where he could start the real work. Dockwise has every trust that project progress will closely follow the lines of this story. The editor adds his best wishes to all concerned for a successful completion.
The voyage The second component is the voyage. This will take the loaded vessel from Singapore through the Indonesian archipelago, across the Indian Ocean, round the Cape of Good Hope and up through the South and North Atlantic oceans to the Gulf of Mexico. Some 47 days non-stop during which the Master will have the benefit of long, medium and short term weather forecasts from a number of sources. “Although the centre of gravity of the structure is some 110 feet above the surface of the water, stability of the cargo and vessel together is still well within limits of the Blue Marlin as it has a deadweight capacity of twice the weight of the Noble Jim Day ,” explains Oosterhuis. Weather conditions may involve the master changing
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dockspecial REMARKABLE PROJECTS
A little hornpiping
Dockwise on a grand scale Page 28 DOCKWISER
Dockwise is a company that is used to thinking and operating on a large scale. And for any readers who might be interested in the details of some special projects, here are a couple of recent stories by way of illustration. Text Dockwise & Hans Martens Photography Klaas Slot
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dockspecial Mighty Servant 3
back in service by end of 2008 after reinstatement at Grand Bahamas Shipyard, Freeport. On 18 November 2006, the Mighty Servant 3 sailed from Trinidad for Luanda, West Africa, carrying a drilling rig and barge. On 6 December 2006 at precisely 07:53 local time, she sank just short of her destination during rig discharge. The rig actually floated off without damage. The Mighty Servant 3 was later successfully recuperated by Smit Salvage and towed to Cape Town for docking, inspections and removal of critical components. Reinstatement feasible When the technical condition of the vessel had been confirmed, it became clear that reinstatement of the vessel would be perfectly feasible as it had not sustained significant structural damage and that, thanks to the crew’s foresight and speed of reaction, all critical components such as main engines, steering gear, reduction gears and so on had been saved. The tender process for the envisaged repair was started and interested major yards were invited to carry out inspections. The vessel reinstatement tender process was concluded and the contract finally awarded to Grand Bahamas Shipyard, Freeport. The vessel was prepared for the towage voyage from Cape Town to Freeport. Similar to traditional newbuild Mighty Servant 3 left Cape Town, South Africa November 2007 and reached Freeport on 23 January 2008. It is now being stripped of all machinery, equipment and systems down to the empty hull. The vessel will subsequently enter drydock for the minor repairs and renewals as required.
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The Mighty Servant 3, prior to its planned reinstatement program. The end of 2008 will see the ship take on a different profile, expanded capabilities and, undoubtedly, new destinations.
The refurbishment and repair project will then continue in a similar way to a traditional new build with installation of the new electrical systems, new machinery and control systems to all the latest design and standards. The main engines are being stripped and rebuilt at the Wartsila facilities in Zwolle, the Netherlands. Essentially, both main engines will be next to new when delivered back to the owner later this year. The accommodation will be extended during the repair by inserting an extra layer and be further upgraded to today’s standards with such things as internal furnishings and crew facilities. This challenging reinstatement project is currently in its initial stages but by year end the Mighty Servant 3 is scheduled to be back in service with the Dockwise fleet. The next projects are already at her doorstep.
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dockspecial The Shenzi TLP hull was to be transported from Geoje, Korea, via Cape of Good Hope to Ingleside, USA
Delivery of
the Shenzi TLP hull
to BHP Billiton Petroleum (Americas) Inc.
At the end of 2007, Samsung Heavy Industries was contracted to complete construction and commence delivery of the Shenzi TLP hull to BHP Billiton Petroleum (Americas) Inc. The hull was to be transported by the Mighty Servant 1 from the construction yard in Geoje, Korea, via Cape of Good Hope to Kiewit Offshore Services, Ingleside, USA. Skids and cribs Hull loading onto the Mighty Servant 1 was done by skidding, but for the sea passage from Korea to the USA it was relocated
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onto cribbing rather than the skid beams. On 14 December, the Mighty Servant 1 arrived in Geoje, Korea and deck preparations commenced. On 28 december, the Shenzi TLP hull skidded from Samsung’s hull build quay onto the skidding arrangement on the aft deck of the Mighty Servant 1. After the skidding had been finished and temporary seafastenings installed, the vessel was shifted to an anchorage outside Geoje harbour, where there was an average water depth of 25 metres. On 3 January, the Mighty Servant 1 submerged to a draft of approximately 21 metres forward and 23 metres aft, allowing the hull to float off. In order to retain full stability with the deck submerged, the Mighty Servant 1 had to make use of the buoyancy of the Shenzi TLP hull. This is often the case,
The Shenzi TLP hull - a dry transport weight of 11,200 tons, height 70 metres, span 85 metres (111 metres diagonal) and a floating draft of approximately 8 metres on board the Mighty Servant 1, both of them big babies.
but because of the shape of this hull (with its large deadrise), the vessel had to take on a considerable trim by the stern and some degrees heel first, which made it an even more precise operation than usual. Safe arrival After the floating, the Shenzi TLP hull was pulled forward and positioned over the cribbing with tugger lines. The Mighty Servant 1 deballasted until the sailing draft of approximately 8 metres was reached and the Shenzi TLP hull was safely sitting on the cribbing arrangement installed
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dockspecial in front of the skidding structure. On 4 January, the Mighty Servant 1 moved to the Samsung quayside, where the seafastenings were installed and the skidding arrangement removed. On 6 January, the Mighty Servant 1 set off for the voyage to Ingleside, USA. Safe arrival on 28 February preceded another vast complex of rig float-off, positioning and installing activities. One costly step less According to Sybren de Jong, Senior Project Superintendent, the transport of the Shenzi TLP hull in one aspect offered a striking saving in time and money. “Normally we load such a structure on board our lift vessel when it is actually in the water. But that float-off and transport to the location where it can be loaded on board a Dockwise vessel is
complex, risky and expensive for the client. In this project the hull was loaded directly onto the Mighty Servant from the quayside which meant the hull float-off and tug transport were eliminated. To do this the deck of the Mighty Servant had to be fitted with a skidding structure and the deck of the vessel had to remain exactly level with the quay notwithstanding tidal changes and weight distribution during loading. But it all saved the client an expensive extra process step and quite some time. For Dockwise it was the first project under the Float-Over flag, by which Dockwise handled all project management and engineering.” For more information, please visit www.dockwise.com
Safe arrival on 28 February preceded
another vast complex of rig float-off, positioning and INSTALLING ACTIVITIES
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dockspecial Text Hans Martens
Maari project halfway to completion
The Maari drill platform, 150 metres high and 10,000 tons heavy is currently on board the Blue Marlin on its way from Malaysia to New Zealand. This remarkable transport represents an unprecedented challenge to Dockwise capabilities in preparing the carrier and making a large load fast to ensure a safe voyage across the potentially very rough Tasman Sea. Frank Berrens, Project Manager of the Maari project, does not hide his pride. “This is specialist work, and something the Netherlands can be proud of. It has been the result of rational thinking and hard work of all involved in the project. The platform is safely on deck on its specially designed grillage, seafast, after twelve days of welding work, and on its way.”
The team is now halfway through the project and has managed to get some very difficult work done, but still has obstacles ahead of it. “These should prove the planning, engineering and construction of this unique project were all correct. We had to imagine what could happen in the notoriously dangerous Tasman Sea, should the Blue Marlin encounter seas with waves of up to eleven metres.” In the worst possible scenario, each leg of the platform could exert up to 10,000 tons of pressure on its part of the deck. “We designed the weight spreading grillage to be able to handle the possible loads and so conduct them to the deck construction safely. But then, once the ship survives the Tasman Sea and moors in Admiralty bay, there is the next challenge - unloading. Admiralty bay is in the northern part of South Island. During submersion Blue Marlin will only be able to use the flotation capacity of the platform in the last stages. Air in the hollow foot and an extra stability barge brought on board will help us out.” The project was originally accepted in October 2006. At that time the Mighty Servant 1 was allocated as suitable carrier. Berrens; “From that moment the project team got busy mapping all possible risks and thinking up and calculating the support structures that would be needed to carry the local loads on deck. The maximum deck load of the Mighty Servant 1 was well below the total load exerted by the four legs. And one then had to add to this the extra loads that may be caused by heavy seas. The engineers developed a kind of grill of heavy steel beams that would spread the forces over the deck, and would also demonstrate the necessary flexibility.” Originally the drilling platform was supposed to be shipped in October 2007, but because of delayed construction this was postponed to February/March
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DOCKWISER Page 37
New Rig for OMV
dockspecial
The drill platform will pump oil for OMV, an Austrian oil company that specializes in extracting oil from places difficult to access, and re-developing old fields. The field in the Tasman Sea is a ‘difficult location’ partly because of the low temperatures so that special heating techniques are required to pump up the oil. According to expectations some 40,000 barrels of oil will be extracted daily. With the current price per barrel, no wonder OMW is eager to start soon and maintain a tight schedule.
2008. By then The Mighty Servant 1 was to be used for a different transport assignment and the Blue Marlin became qualified. “Much of the calculating work already completed had to be repeated, because the construction and the behaviour at sea of both carrier vessels were quite different,” explained Berrens. After fitting the grillage and skid beams on board in Batam, the Blue Marlin sailed to the shipyard in Lumut on a channel that was not even on the sea charts. It had never seen a ship as large as this one. The channel was dredged specifically for Dockwise and checked for depth to ensure safe access to the 225 m x 63 m Blue Marlin. There the ship moored stern to quay. It was held in place with both its own and external anchors
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as well as specially constructed multi-wire attachments and winches. The maximum sideways play was no more than 0.15°, almost unbelievable. To hold the deck at the same height as the quay during the loading process, an additional ballasting system was brought on board specially for this purpose and put into action. These systems followed the timing exactly. “This was absolutely necessary,” says Berrens, “as the tidal differences created a height change of 70 centimetres an hour while the structure was being pushed hydraulically on board at a speed of only five metres an hour. The ballast systems had to compensate not only for the tidal effects, but also for the increasing weight on the stern and the consequent change of ship trim. The ballast system was
checked time and again, and efforts proved their worth, it worked perfectly.” The Blue Marlin is now on its way sailing along the coast of Indonesia, from where it will pass the Great Barrier Reef off the Australian coast and descend to the Tasman Sea and on to New Zealand. RISK MANAGEMENT Clough Projects International of Australia commissioned the project, whereby Dockwise itself takes responsibility for the design of the necessary 1200 tons grillage and sea fastenings, and the physical transport. Clough has been responsible for all fabrication & installation works, includig the skidded load out operation. The responsibility of Dockwise also includes taking on board the stability barge
and the additional external ballast system. For this purpose the Blue Marlin sailed to Singapore to bunker, to Batam in Indonesia for the installation of the grillage and skid beams on deck, to Lumut Malaysia to take the rig on board and then to Admiralty Bay, New Zealand to unload. The operation involves many risks which the Dockwise project team has had to identify, quantify, engineer and safely manage.
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dockspecial
A few words on how the great Dockwise conversion programme is progressing. Firstly some old news, the successor to the TRANSPORTER, the m.v. TARGET, was successfully handed over to Dockwise on 24 December 2007 and has been operating successfully since. Conversion of the remaining Frontline single hull Suezmax tankers to semi-submersible heavy lift format is in full progress, and the last four vessels will join the fleet in 2008. Photography A v/d Lely
UPDATE ON CONVE RSIONS IN CHINA The conversion of a tanker to a heavy lift vessel basically involves removal of the original cargo section by installing a new midship section which is joined to the original bow and stern sections. The current status of the four conversions-in-progress are as follows. THE TREASURE The vessel at present is being converted at Cosco Zhoushan Shipyard. The new midship section has been fabricated and inserted and the vessel is currently afloat at the yard for finalization of the conversion and last repairs. Installation of deck ballast tanks, additional accommodation, ballast control room, new CO2 room, pump room, bow thruster, new generators, incinerator, bilge water separator, new lifeboats, cranes, cargo winches, forward garage and wheel house are all part of this extensive programme. Machinery and equip-
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ment are being subjected to extensive upgrading and refurbishment. After installation of all new equipment and finalization of repairs, refurbishment and commissioning, submersion and sea trials will commence prior to delivery to Dockwise. TALISMAN The Talisman is currently being converted at Cosco Nantong Shipyard. The new midship section is presently welded in place and the vessel is afloat for finalization of conversion activities. Deck ballast tanks, extra accommodation, ballast control room, new CO2 room, pump room, bow thruster, new generators, incinerator, bilge water separator, new lifeboats, cranes, cargo winches, forward garage and wheel house will all be involved. Machinery and equipment is again being upgraded, refurbished or replaced and various special heavy lift equipment are being
installed. After installation of all new equipment and finalization of repairs, refurbishment and commissioning, the submersion and sea trials will commence prior to delivery to Dockwise. TRUSTEE The Trustee is currently being converted at Cosco Zhoushan Shipyard after its arrival mid-March 2008. Construction of the new midship section actually started mid-September of last year and is progressing, building of the double bottom started early this year. The Anglo Eastern/Dockwise site team has taken full position at the yard to monitor the project. TRIUMPH The vessel will be converted at Cosco Guangzhou Shipyard after its arrival in April 2008. Construction of the new midship
section started mid-August 2007 and in January of this year two of the four midship section blocks were completed and launched. As above the Anglo Eastern/Dockwise site team has taken position at the yard to monitor the project. The conversions are progressing, notwithstanding the limited experience of the yards in some of this work. Supervision is tight, inspections frequent, and the work rate high. The Dutchman, and perhaps the observant non-Dutchman might perceive a clear similarity with what he sees today in China, with what was to be seen in Rotterdam in the 1950s. Hard work at the yards producing some great floating engineering. The current projects will provide Dockwise with a massive increase in carrying capacity, which undoubtedly will be well utilized in years to come.
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DYT supporting International Seakeepers Society Yacht Express, the new vessel of Dockwise Yacht Transport, is equipped with Sea Keeper 1000 – a system for monitoring the quality of seawater and recording meteo and water data. This will enable DYT to contribute to understanding and protecting our environment.
Once the Yacht Express is en route, the Seakeeper 1000 will take samples of seawater every three hours, and simultaneously record atmospheric conditions. The instruments will analyse the water for such parameters as temperature, salt content, oxygen and possible pollution levels. The measurements, the GPS position of the samples taken and the vessel’s speed over ground, will be automatically sent to the headquarters of the International SeaKeepers Society via an Inmarsat C satellite connection. This is all a fully automated process. By doing this, the Yacht Express will help to monitor the environment of the oceans. The Yacht Express is the first DYT vessel to be equipped with the Seakeeper.
Next issue
DOCKWISER Nº4 2008 dockwise.com
“Because our vessels sail on fixed routes, we can collect data in the same sections of ocean, and in this way help to create a picture of the quality of the seawater over time”. According to Clemens van der Werf, president of DYT, the analyses of the DYT vessels will provide a more accurate and complete overview than those of many private yachts equipped with the system, which usually sail in more restricted coastal areas in fixed seasons.
The OTC 2008
Read all about it
The Yacht Express is a ‘cruise ship’ among the yacht transport vessels, partly thanks to luxury guest accommodation. From a technical point of view, it is an advanced ship because of its diesel-electrical drive and the Azipull thrusters.
Dockwise’s core value
Passion
International SeaKeepers Society In 1988, a small group of yacht owners decided to set up Seakeepers. They were worried about the rapidly decreasing condition of water quality in the world’s seas and oceans. To put this in the picture they commissioned development of a compact, affordable and automated data collection system. The data is made available to scientific institutes to give them insight into the progress of pollution. Of the ‘Seakeeper 1000’ system, 50 have been installed on board cruise ships, freight vessels and private yachts, collectively forming a world-wide network.
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MASTHEAD Page 42 DOCKWISER
Dockwiser is a publication of Dockwise Netherlands, Jacqueline van den Bergen, Danielle Biermans www.dockwise.com
Concept/Realisation Readershouse Brand Media +31 (0)20 3551010 / www.rhbm.nl Art direction Monique van Kessel Translation Roger Thurman/ETC Prepress GPB Leiderdorp Printed by Hollandia
Captain’S STORY “As a superintendent I’ve got the best job in the world” he says with a smile. “I get to spend 120 to 140 days a year abroad and 80 to 100 days a year at the office. Each voyage is different, exciting when the ship with its container cranes can just slip underneath a bridge, or when it has to submerge deeply to take big freight like submarines or drill rigs onboard.” Text Hans Martens Photography Dockwise
COR DUYVESTIJN
In 1975 Cor Duyvestijn (52) joined shipping company van Ommeren as apprentice officer. In 1977, after a year as apprentice and after passing his finals at Nautical College, he was given a permanent contract. In 1979 he joined the newbuild Dock Express 12, a heavy cargo vessel of Dock Express Shipping, for which van Ommeren provided the crew. Twenty four years ago he was asked to take a position onshore for a year. That year became somewhat stretched.
As superintendent Duyvestijn is responsible for preparations for and guidance of loading and unloading processes. He guides and discusses procedures to be followed with all the authorities and client staff involved. So far his career has taken him on some 300 trips. “In the first years we carried many different types of cargo, but over recent time I mainly transported container cranes. The idea now is to move more floating cargo such as drilling rigs. I’ve helped ship about 300 cranes. To get those things onboard, you have to lie at right angles to the quayside and sometimes that means partially closing the harbour. This requires a lot of careful discussions and some tight planning. Transporting cranes is exciting when you have to go under a bridge as you may only have a metre of clearance between bridge and cranes. Of course this is all very
carefully calculated, but still … last year for example traffic across the bridge in Los Angeles had to be brought temporarily to a halt. We were very close.” He has good memories of three old Swedish submarines that belonged to the Singapore Navy. “To get those on deck, we had to submerge the ship really deeply.” Each journey offers different experiences; the ports are different, the tides can be high or low, you may suffer from currents and then again all may be calm, and so on. Preparations must be accurate, but one must also be ready to improvise every now and then. And the 80 to 100 days at the office? He uses those to advise clients and the commercial department, and unload his experience and practical knowledge on company engineers.