McDermott DLV 2000 is a derrick lay vessel being built by Keppel Singmarine shipyard in Singapore. It will be a flagship vessel in McDermott’s fleet of global offshore pipelay and construction vessels.

The vessel will be a combination heavy-lift and deepwater S-Lay pipelay vessel. It will be ideal for installation, maintenance and decommissioning projects, and will be deployed at Inpex Ichthys offshore LNG Project in Western Australia. As part of the project, the vessel will be used for installing large subsea spools, laying infield umbilicals and lifting subsea distribution units.

Tentatively named the DLV 2000, the vessel has been classified by American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and will be christened in April 2016.

DLV 2000 technical specifications

The derrick lay vessel will have an overall length of 184m, waterline length of 180m and beam of 38.6m. The minimum and maximum operating draft of the vessel will be 5.5m and 7.7m respectively.

Deck equipment and systems

The DLV 2000 will offer a deck area of approximately 4,000m². The stern of the vessel will be fitted with a 2,200t primary crane including an auxiliary hoist and whip with a capacity of 600t and 250t respectively.

Two secondary cranes including a 250t knuckle boom crane with active heave compensation and wire to accommodate a 3,000m water depth and a 100t SWL fixed boom deck crane will also be installed onboard. The former will be installed on the starboard side, whereas the latter will be mounted on the main deck port side.

The vessel will integrate a Class III dynamic positioning system. A large A&R wire with a capacity of 425t will also be available to be used for lowering.

Pipelay equipment

The pipelay equipment on the vessel will encompass three 150t main tensioners, a 500t/250t abandonment and recovery (A&R) winch, 12 single workstations, six pre-fabricated double-joint workstations, and a 100m-long stinger.

The equipment will enable the vessel to handle pipes with a minimum outer diameter (OD) of 4.5in (114.3mm) and a maximum OD of 60in (1,524mm).

Navigation and communication systems aboard DLV 2000

The vessel will feature GMDSS radio system in accordance to the areas of operation. The communication system will operate on UHF and VHF bands.

Navigational Telex (NAVTEX) and emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) will also be installed for accurate navigation, as well as meteorological warnings and forecasts.

The vessel will also be equipped with a ship security alert system (SSAS), search-and-rescue transponder (SART) and vessel LAN systems.

DLV 2000 safety features

The safety systems onboard DLV 2000 will be in accordance with SOLAS and other regulatory body requirements.

The vessel will carry four life boats, each with a capacity to carry 106 persons. Each capable of rescuing ten men, two rescue boats will be available onboard for rescue during emergency.

The vessel will also be equipped with eight liferafts, including six with a capacity to carry 35 people each, and two capable of carrying 20 people each.

Accommodation

The vessel will offer accommodation for 341 people in two-man rooms, and can house a maximum of 401 personnel in four-man rooms. A clinic with three beds will also be available aboard the vessel.

Propulsion system

The vessel will be equipped with two diesel engines providing a total propulsion power of 25.5MW. The main propulsion will integrate two propellers, each producing 5,500kW of propulsion power.

The vessel will also be equipped with six drop-down thrusters producing 2,000kW power each and two tunnel thrusters developing 1,250kW each. The power management and vessel automation system onboard the DLV 2000 will be provided by Kongsberg.

The vessel will sail at minimum and maximum transit speeds of 12kt and 13.5kt respectively. Six generators supplying a total power of 33MW and a Cummins emergency generator supplying 1.5MW power will be installed for operation of machinery and other equipment onboard.