Vroon ERRV completes sea trials following rescue system installation

Aberdeen-based ERRV owned by Vroon, a Dutch provider of offshore support vessels, has completed sea trials following installation of Sealift rescue system.

Vroon said on Thursday that the vessel VOS Famous on January 16 completed sea trials, crew training, and familiarization following installation of a Sealift rescue system.

According to the company, the Sealift rescue system was designed to contend with the challenges of safely recovering casualties from the water in upper sea states when waves can be higher than 3.5m.

It consists of a basket attached to a hydraulic arm on the deck which pivots out over the water. The system can be operated by one crew member from a secure location on either deck or bridge by remote control.

It has an operating lift capacity of two metric tonnes, load-tested to four metric tonnes, with a catchment area of 40 square meters.

VOS Famous is a 2015-built 50m emergency response and rescue vessel (ERRV) and one of a series of five constructed at Jiangsu Island Shipbuilding Industry Co. Ltd. in Nanjing for Vroon. In September 2017, the vessel began a long-term charter with Premier Oil. The vessel was hired to attend to the Catcher floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO).

The Sealift system was supplied by Sealift Systems Norway, installed by Dales Marine Services, and approved by Lloyd’s.