Subsea Construction Vessel 'REM Saltire' undergoes reconfiguration at Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen

Date: January 2019
Ship name: 'REM Saltire'
Ship type: Offshore Support Vessel
Yard: Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen

Tasks performed for this project

Demobilisation / mobilisation

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The REM Saltire, a 111-metre, 9603 GT subsea construction vessel owned by REM Offshore, at the start of 2019 completed a reconfiguration programme at Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen (DSV). From 27 December to 15 January, the vessel first underwent the demobilisation of a Q1600 Trenchertrenching system under the supervision of international marine contractor Van Oord, before being mobilised for its next contract by Oceaneering AS.

Demobilising the Dig-It

An initial short period was spent alongside to remove Van Oord’s innovative new Dig-It (Q-trencher 1600), which the group had deployed on board the REM Saltire under the contract with Ørsted to transport, install and bury infield cables for the Borkum Riffgrund 2 offshore wind farm.

Subsea Construction Vessel 'REM Saltire' at DSV

The vessel then spent three days in the yard’s open-air dry dock to have the seals on its thrusters serviced as ordered by REM Offshore.

While this was going on the preparations for removing the remaining deck structure, so that when the vessel was afloat once again a crane could lift the Dig-It up and onto the quayside and works start immediately on returning the deck to its standard format and condition. Meanwhile, more work was taking place ashore, preparing the components that Oceaneering would require to ready the ship for her next contract.

Agile project management

DSV’s project management team put in a superhuman effort, not only overseeing the operations of three different teams working simultaneously on the same vessel, but also the added complexities thrown up by the project taking place over the new year holidays.

Next stop, America!

The mobilisation works required for the REM Saltire’s upcoming, two-year contract on the other side of the Atlantic involved the fabrication and installation of a sub frame as well as the fitting of a winch and an A-frame. This is to prepare her for the receipt of ROVs and other deck equipment that will be fitted for the project when she arrives in the USA. A 60-tonne subsea crane was also positioned on the aft deck and secured with sea fastenings.

This was the first visit by REM Saltire to DSV, which was selected both for its proximity to the vessel’s previous assignment and for its long-standing relationship with Van Oord. REM Mermaid, another REM OSV, visited Damen Shiprepair Oranjewerf at the end of 2016 for some works.

The REM Saltire was built in 2008 by Gr. BMV yards in Norway and features a 1,000 square metre deck and a 150-tonne crane.

DAMEN SHIPREPAIR VLISSINGEN

Damen Shiprepair Vlissingen is within easy reach of the major North Sea shipping routes and in the centre of the ARA-ports with the North Sea only six miles away, which eliminates costly diversions.