Northern Offshore Accepts Its First Damen Twin Axe

Northern Offshore Services has taken delivery of its first Damen Twin Axe, just weeks after the order was placed in August. The 26-metre Fast Crew Supplier is already being deployed at an offshore wind farm in the North Sea.

The new vessel is sailing under the Danish flag. She left Damen Shipyards Gorinchem (NL) to travel to Esbjerg in Denmark on September 16 in particularly bad weather, but despite the stormy conditions still managed average speeds of 18 knots.

The Damen Twin Axe is derived from an extensive research and development programme for the optimisation of seakeeping and manoeuvrability whilst carrying out offshore operations. The FCS 2610 design enables the safe transfer of personnel onto platforms or wind turbines at wave heights of more than 2.5 metres. Other advantages are the maximum speed of 26 knots (with a range of 1,200 nm, depending on sea state) and low fuel consumption, both a result of the low-resistance double Sea Axe bow.

The 26×10 m vessel offers accommodation for a crew of four and up to 12 passengers. With ample working and storage space on deck it is possible to load various types of cargo with the onboard crane (20 tm), incl. either two 10” containers or two 20” containers. Additionally, the vessel has a spacious rescue platform, HP cleaning unit, a three-point mooring system and extra mooring winches.

Introduced to the market in June 2011, the Damen Twin Axe Fast Crew Supplier 2610 has already established itself as “The Industry Standard” for the offshore wind market. However, the vessel is suitable in multiple roles and provides a very stable platform for diving, surveying and support, being able to carry two 20ft containers and it can work with jack-up platforms. The type can be used to deliver cargo to platforms and carry out crew transfers to and from the platform via man baskets, due to its large deck space forward.

In order to serve growing demand for this type of high-speed support vessel Damen is building more than 20 for stock. The FCS can be outfitted and finished according to customer requirements.

In addition, Damen has started construction of 4 units of the FCS 2008, the smaller sister of the 2610, following the same concept.

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Press Release, September 20, 2013