Topaz Energy & Marine (TEAM) has received the latest addition to its Nico World fleet; the purpose built cable lay vessel Sea Spider. The acquisition of the $10 million vessel has been funded by Standard Chartered Bank, Dubai through a seven-year term loan.
Capable of worldwide operations, the vessel has immediately commenced working in the Baltic Sea region and will remain fully occupied for the rest of the year. The vessel is one of only three cable lay vessels in the world that is equipped with a large enough turntable capable of transporting and installing underwater heavy duty power cables. This cable-laying ship has a 4,000-ton capacity 24 - meter diameter turntable to transport and lay HVDC as well as heavy duty submarine power cables.
The veracity not only allows the laying of power cables, but also fiber optic, telecommunication, oil field umbilicals or multiple cables together, and is ideally suited for the repair and maintenance of underwater cables worldwide.
Built in Holland in 1999, the Sea Spider is equipped with LP – 2 dynamic positioning capability with built-in redundancy. Powered by three azimuth thrusters including a retractable bow thruster, the TEAM Sea Spider can cruise at 10 knots fully loaded, in the open sea and yet be able to work in shallow waters to conduct shore landing and shore termination operations.
This 86 - meter vessel with a work deck area of 14,000 square meters enables the loading of a 15 - meter diameter static coil for supplementary cable storage in addition to the turntable, thereby allowing dual cable lay capability.
A specially designed heavy duty A frame is installed to handle the loading and unloading of the 19 ton Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV) that is an essential part of the cable trenching and laying operation. The computer operated ROV can perform water jet based trenching operations up to 3.0 - meters in water depth of 1500 - meters.
Having taken the possession of the vessel in Holland in September 2002, the vessel has been chartered on a short-term contract to Dutch Sea Cable for cable laying contracts in the Baltic Sea area for Tele Denmark and Stokab AB of Sweden and other offshore cable installations in the Middle East.
Oman-based TEAM is in the business of ship repair, ownership and operation of offshore supply and support vessels, and oil and gas services including heavy fabrication. TEAM operates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) through its subsidiary companies Nico International UAE in Dubai and Adyard Abu Dhabi.
Nico World is an offshore fleet owner and operator, active in the long-term charter markets of several leading oil and gas development companies. With a multi purpose fleet of anchor handling tugs, platform supply vessels and a propulsion assisted jack-up barge. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
