UK: Marineco Acquires Fourth Twin Axe Support Vessel

The ‘Marineco Thunderbird’ is UK based Marineco’s fourth FCS 2610 Twin Axe. Marineco was the first customer to buy one of these vessels nearly two and a half years ago, based on a design for an Offshore and Offshore Wind support vessel which Damen really believed in. The recent purchase of Thunderbird is proof of the concept and its future.

Siemens will be deploying Thunderbird off the west coast of England, at the same latitude as Barrow, where it will be used to perform installation and maintenance work for Walney Offshore Windfarms. The vessel’s superstructure is spacious, offering sleeping accommodation (four two-person cabins) and making it possible for the crew to stay on-site for longer periods of time.

 FCS 2008

The FCS 2008, a smaller version of the FCS 2610, will be introduced on the market in the summer of 2013. Smaller size, lower fuel consumption and an attractive purchase price will make this vessel a strong competitor for other makes of comparable size.

Marineco

Damen Shipyards has had a long and solid relationship with Marineco. Every vessel in Marineco’s fleet is a Damen vessel. This enables their experienced crews to offer optimum service in the fields of towing, anchor handling, cable laying, dredge-pipe connection, ship-to-ship transfers, coastline restoration and pushboat handling.

 Fast Crew Supplier (FCS) 2610

The Twin Axe FCS 2610, which is 26 m x 10 m, has accommodation for crew in a maximum of five cabins and a capacity for transporting 12 technicians. Depending on the sea state, the maximum speed is 26 knots with a range of 1,200 nm.

With ample working and storage space on deck it is suitable for a variety of cargoes, including containers and has a large 20 tm deck crane, a spacious rescue platform, HP cleaning unit, a three-point mooring system and extra mooring winches.

It can be used to deliver cargo to platforms and carry out crew transfers to and from the turbine. The standard version has a 14.2 cu m fuel tank, which can be increased to 20.0 cu m using the aft trim tanks. Classed by Bureau Veritas, it operates under the Workboat Code, Category 1 in the UK, or any other Classification Society or Flag State if required.

 Twin Axe design

The Twin Axe design is a further development of Damen’s pioneering and highly successful Sea Axe concept. This unique hull form provides excellent seakeeping behaviour and means that the vessel can travel at full speed (26 knots), while still providing a safe and comfortable ride for the crew. The vessel can easily handle 2.5 m significant wave heights, without losing any performance and extensive tests have proven that the vessel reduces bow slamming entirely under certain conditions.

Introduced to the market in June 2011, the Damen Twin Axe Fast Crew Supplier 2610 is already establishing itself as “The Industry Standard” for the offshore wind industry. “Damen was delighted when a major wind turbine manufacturer put out a tender requiring that companies deploy Twin Axe vessels when handling its turbines,” he says. Damen is the only Twin Axe manufacturer.

 Building for stock

And although the vessel has been eagerly adopted by the offshore wind industry, the vessel is suitable in multiple roles and provides a very stable platform for diving support for instance. It can easily be converted back into a FCS overnight. To meet demand for the Twin Axe FCS 2610 Damen builds them continuously for stock.

[mappress]

Press release, March 25, 2013; Image: damen