A diesel-electric hybrid power and propulsion contract for an unusual catamaran dive support vessel (DSV) has been won by Canada-based Aspin Kemp & Associates (AKA) who solved the owner’s quest for a system that would operate at peak efficiency while ensuring that safety and redundancy measures were in place.  Australia’s Bhagwan Marine’s 56-m DSV was designed by Incat Crowther, also in Australia, and is to be built at the Keppel Singmarine shipyard in Singapore. Multi-purpose Dive Support Vesse: Image courtesy of Incat Crowther Now, here’s a Swiss Army knife of an offshore vessel if ever there was one, designed from the keel up to perform six key roles: dive support, geophysical survey, geotechnical survey, cargo transport, hyperbaric rescue and safety standby. Such varied roles demand a multitude of propulsion responses, including liberal idle times while under way, and AKA’s ‘Duty-cycle analysis’ with its XeroPoint Hybrid system see... [More]

Incat Crowther's USA office has developed a new design, to meet the specifications of the Petrobras P3-type crew boat for service in the Brazilian offshore oil fields.
The vessel’s design closer resembles that of a supply vessel with large 840 ft2 (78 m2) main cargo deck aft with capacity of 150 tons for supply transfers of cargoes. The main cabin has accommodation for 60 seated passengers and has a crew of seven. The 148 ft (45 aluminium hull is propelled by four Caterpillar C32 Acert diesel engines rated at 1,082 kW (1,450 hp) driving Doen waterjets giving a maximum speed of 32 kn [More]