Norway-based boat system and davit-handling specialist Vestdavit has secured a breakthrough order for its unique MissionEase multi-boat handling solution for mission bays, under contract to offshore support vessel owner Esvagt.
Multi-boat handling on the high seas will be a defining characteristic of flexibility for offshore ships in the years ahead, according to Vestdavit, and MissionEase’s fast and safe solution for transferring boats between storage and davit is expected to enhance the attraction of ships up for charter.
MissionEase is the first multi-boat handling system in the offshore segment which has been designed from its conception for the widest array of ancillary craft, including RIBS, ROVs and Unmanned Support Vessels. It uses a system of hydraulic cradles running along the mission bay deck to move boats from their stowage positions to the maintenance, preparation or launch areas, whose patented feeding system links seamlessly with dual or single-point davits on either side of the vessel.
Esvagt has specified the innovative MissionEase in-hangar boat transfer system for installation onboard a crew change vessel under construction at Spanish shipbuilder Astillero Zamakona. The system will have capacity for four boats, with a transverse MissionEase cradle with lift and lowering capability feeding boats to one Vestdavit TDB telescopic davits on each side of ship.
“The mission bay is becoming a key capability for vessels offshore, where flexibility in operations can be the most significant attraction,” said Vestdavit Managing Director Rolf Andreas Wigand. “We are delighted that a company whose reputation has been built on operating some of the industry’s most flexible ships is the early first adopter of MissionEase.”
The Esvagt crew boat installation will feature four fixed boat supports on deck, adaptable to accommodate three different boat types, plus one transverse cradle with lift and lowering capability. The cradles move across the ship, picking up boats from the supports and feeding them to the davits for launching.
With its own braking system, MissionEase allows boats to be moved within the bay, even in high seas or with a list on the vessel for launching, or back to stow when recovered. A single operator can control both davits and the cradle system by remote control, while the system also benefits from a manual back-up, with accumulators built-on for emergency operations in case of blackouts.
As part of the Esvagt contract, Vestdavit is also delivering a Workboat davit to accommodate a daughter craft onboard, with an SWL telescopic painter boom.
“Many existing multi-boat handling systems rely on overhead gantries to lift boats within the bay. This can be hazardous when ships are in motion, while slinging and unslinging boats consumes precious time that operators cannot afford,” said Wigand. “MissionEase brings together all of our experience with naval and seismic ships to ensure the benefits of the mission bay can be successfully applied across a growing range of offshore vessel types.”
To access a video showing the MissionEase system in operation please visit here
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