Offshore staff
ULSTEINVIK, Norway – ALP Striker is the first of four ultra-long distance towing and anchor handling vessels built in Japan for ALP Maritime Services, each with a bollard pull of around 300 metric tons.
The Ulstein-designed vessels are of the SX157 design, with a service speed of 13 knots and a top speed of 19 knots.
With fuel capacity of more than 3,500 cu m (123,601 cu ft), they are designed to tow at full power for 45 days, sufficient for non-stop Trans-Atlantic/Indian or Pacific Ocean towing operations without fuel calls, Ulstein claims.
The vessels are under construction at Niigata Shipbuilding & Repair.
Ulstein Design & Solutions developed the design with the vessel owner ALP Maritime Services, a subsidiary of Teekay Offshore Partners.
The ships can be used for towing drilling rigs and FPSOs, from the construction yards to the field location. Their DP-2 and anchor handling capacity can be deployed to assist the installation/hook-up phase. All will be 88.9 m (291 ft) long and 21 m (69 ft) wide.
This was the largest single contract so far for Ulstein Design & Solutions. The company had to ensure that each vessel had sufficient bollard pull and operational reliability to handle even the heaviest tows by only two vessels.
All are classed with DNV’s Clean Design and Ice Class 1B notations, which allows operation in restricted zones. Additionally, they can serve as anchor handling vessels via features including a stern roller, a three-drummed winch with a 400-ton hoisting capacity, and chain lockers for rig chain.
They provide accommodation for 35 persons, designed to take into account long periods at sea.
Ulstein is also responsible for the deliveries of main components, such as engines, thrusters and propellers, winch, power distribution and thruster drives, control system and communication system.
The second vessel,ALP Defender, will be the next to be completed, while the third vessel, ALP Sweeper, was launched on May 7. The final vessel will be named the ALP Keeper.
05/23/2016
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