Engineering specialist McDermott International is to convert offshore construction vessel Amazon to carry out ultra-deepwater J-lay duties.
Amazon’s existing tower will be replaced with a J-lay system with 1,500 tonnes of dynamic top tension on its tower. This will enable the vessel to install large subsea structures and hex sections of pipeline from 12-60 cm in depths of nearly 3,500 m.
An integrated multi-joint facility where single joints can be welded into hex joints will be installed on the vessel, reducing reliance on the shore base. Dual pipe-loading cranes and an additional 5 MW of power generation will also be added.
Built in 2014, in its current form Amazon has a length of 199.4 m, a beam of 32.2 m and a maximum draft of 9.5 m. It has a dynamic positioning class of DP2 and mounts three 3,500-kW azimuth thrusters in the stern, three 2,400-kW retractable azmimuth thrusters forward and one 1,800-kW tunnel thruster in the bow. It is fitted with two active heave-compensated Huisman mast cranes and can accommodate 200 crew.
Netherlands-based Royal IHC will design and build the J-lay system and manage the project. Amazon will be delivered to IHC in August 2019 and conversion is expected to take ten months, with redelivery of the vessel expected by Q3 2020.
The project is to be funded by an increased bareboat charter rate over an extended 12-year term following completion of the modifications.
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