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Wärtsilä, the marine industry’s leading solutions and services provider, has signed a contract for the design of a new diving support vessel (DSV) to be built for Subsea 7, the seabed-to-surface engineering, construction, and services contractor to the offshore energy industry.

The brand new VS 4725 DSV design has been created by Wärtsilä Ship Design specifically for this vessel, which will be built at the Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) shipyard in Korea. The contract was signed with HHI in December, and the vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2015.

The vessel is intended for North Sea diving operations on a year round basis. In customizing the design of such a complex vessel, close co-operation between Subsea 7, HHI, Drass Energy, the diving equipment supplier, and Wärtsilä was essential. The result is a state-of-the-art, technologically advanced vessel design that offers high safety and good working conditions to all personnel onboard, as well as safe and efficient operations in often challenging sea and weather conditions.

The DSV is to be equipped with the latest integrated diving equipment, while a 3-split engine and propulsion configuration ensures the highest level of redundancy. Under this configuration, the systems relating to the generator sets, propulsion machinery, thrusters, electrical controls and all related auxiliary equipment, are divided into three sections. In addition to the excellent redundancy, this also ensures a high ERN (Environmental Regularity Number) score, while limiting the failure risk. In a worst case failure scenario, most of the generator sets and thrusters will remain in operation.

“The operational profile of the vessel forms the basis for every Wärtsilä ship design. By working closely with the owners and operators to reach a complete understanding of their needs, we can design vessels that are both economically and environmentally sound, but moreover, fulfils the demands and requirements of our clients. Our more than 50 years of experience provides, of course, a solid foundation for our design solutions, and working with highly professional partners, such as Subsea 7 and HHI, is always a pleasure,” says Riku-Pekka Hägg, Vice President Wärtsilä Ship Design.

“The development of the Wärtsilä VS 4725 DSV, the development of the dive system by Drass, and the overall design and building by HHI is the result of good co-operation between all the parties involved. Wärtsilä Ship Design’s willingness and ability to adapt to the specific requirements and standards needed were key considerations in the award of this contract,” said Mr Stuart Smith, Vice President for Technology and Asset Development, Subsea 7.

Subsea 7 - VS 4725 DSV:

• Length: 123m

• Breadth: 24m

• Depth: 10.5m

• Accommodation: 110 POB

Press Release, December 19, 2012