Looking hot this summer

This summer the Maritime Developments logo will become a familiar sight at one of the biggest North Sea developments in recent years.

The company’s first complete back-deck spread will be used by a major international subsea contractor to carry out the full installation of flexibles and risers.

The centerpiece of the package will be Maritime Developments’ portable vertical lay system (PVLS), which is currently under construction at the company’s Peterhead facility.

The system will stand more than 23metres in height when fully built, and will be installed over the side of the vessel.

The vertical tower is a self-sufficient system which contains a 10-tonne initiation winch and also houses a tensioner, a control van and an HPU, reducing the deck space take up by the system.

The PVLS can be installed over the side or over the stern of a vessel. Thanks to its movable chute, which can fleet by up to 30º, products can be fed into it from both carousels and reels from different locations on board or under the deck.

The 75Te system can accept a 75-tonne tensioner to utilise its full design load, but will initially run with a Maritime Developments 50-tonne 4-track tensioner, which forms part of the company’s flexlay fleet.

The patented solution features a unique design allowing two track doors to open when in vertical orientation, minimising the potential damage to the product during handling.

To complement the vertical spread Maritime Developments will deliver a 350-tonne reel drive system (RDS), which will operate multiple reels on board the vessel.

The spread will be further supported by an on-deck deflector and roller chute facilitating the transition of the product onto the PVLS.

Maritime Developments CEO Derek Smith said: “Delivery of this spread will mark a significant milestone for the company. This will be the first time a regular vessel has been turned into a pipe laying vessel using Maritime Developments spread.

“One of the key benefits of using a complete MDL spread is the ease of use, thanks to the integrated systems that allow the individual elements of the package to ‘speak’ to one another.

“There is also a significant cost saving aspect for the client, as vessel days can be dramatically reduced thanks to the portable design of our equipment.

“Special attention to this feature has been put at the design stage to allow for the PVLS to be assembled at the quayside prior to the vessel’s arrival and installed onboard in one piece within a couple of days.”