GALLERY: Saipem 7000 arrives at Damen yard for upgrades

The Saipem 7000 semi-submersible crane and pipelaying vessel has arrived at Damen’s Verolme shipyard in Rotterdam (DVR) for an upgrade of its systems.

Images by Damen

Damen said on Monday that the vessel, owned by Italian oilfield services contractor Saipem, arrived at the shipyard for a major upgrade of its current DP3 system to meet the new closed ring DP3 configuration and ABS EHS-P notation.

Under DP3 EHS-P notation, the vessel will increase its level of redundancy with four independent redundancy groups systems.

According to the company, the project will include the upgrade and modification of the vessel’s power system for load sharing, the installation of MV, LV and control cables, renewal of the MV and LV switchboards and the motor control centres, the installation of uninterrupted power supplies (UPS) and the creation of an A60 compartment.

Detailed engineering is being executed by Damen Verolme Rotterdam in close cooperation with Saipem.

When completed, the vessel’s DP3 system with its 12 thrusters would be able to maintain its position in even the most adverse weather conditions.

Also, because the Saipem 7000 can accommodate up to 725 people, the vessel will be able to assist hook-up and commissioning activities as well as initial platform life support. This high specification means that the vessel would be able to provide services in conventional, deep and ultra-deep-water development projects.

The works will take around six months, with completion due in the first quarter of 2019.

“This represents a tight schedule, mainly due to the delivery and installation for the cables, the switchboards, and the extensive structural modifications,” the company said.

The Saipem 7000 has been a regular visitor to DVR over more than two decades, coming in for dry docking, special surveys, repairs, major modifications, and mobilization work. Its most recent visit was in April 2018 when it spent nine days undergoing mobilization activities.

Praveen Badloo, Damen Verolme commercial manager, and sales manager for Italy Jorrit Pilaar, said: “We are very proud to have the Saipem 7000 back at Damen Verolme. The DVR team has put in a great deal of effort to win this order and together with Saipem we look forward to a successful outcome of the project.”