Offshore staff

LEIDEN, the Netherlands – Heerema Marine Contractors (HMC) has signed a letter of intent with Astilleros Armon, in Vigo, northern Spain, for construction of two new anchor handling tugs.

Both vessels will be equipped for DP-2 and include a retractable bow thruster. Each will be 72 m (236 ft) long and 18 m (59 ft) wide, larger than HMC's existing tugs Husky and Retriever.

Each new tug will have a bollard pull of 180 metric tons (198 tons) and will have capacity for up to 2,500 cu m (88,286 cu ft) of fuel, allowing them to sail directly from Rotterdam to Cape Town in South Africa.

They will also have winch capacity to install anchors in water depths of up to 1,500 m (4,921 ft), and accommodation for 28 people. Both should be delivered in 2013. 

11/11/2011