Bollinger Completes Conversions on Dive Support Vessels
Bollinger Shipyards, Inc., has performed conversions and modifications to three separate dive support vessels for EPIC Divers & Marine. The first of the three conversions was completed on the 220-ft. x 45-ft x 21-ft dynamically positioned (DP) Class II Dive and ROV support vessel EPIC Diver at the Bollinger Algiers location. The EPIC Diver is one of the newest acquisitions to the EPIC fleet and will be their primary DP and ROV support vessel. While at Bollinger the vessel renewed her regulatory status and documentation, received DP system upgrades with the installation of the L3 Communications (Nautronix) NMS 6000 Duplex DP System, while taking on the new colors and name EPIC Diver. The vessel is ABS Certified, DPII, and SOLAS.The second and third vessel upgrades both came out of Bollinger’s Larose facility. The EPIC Explorer was delivered from the Larose facility after going through a full conversion from offshore supply vessel to a four-point, 1000’ saturation dive support vessel, with upgraded accommodations for forty-eight persons, newly installed 1,000-ft. six-person Saturation Dive system and associated dive support equipment, EBI 30 ton telescoping deck crane, 10–ft diameter Moon Pool, updated electrical components, and renewed regulatory compliance meeting all USCG inspection criteria for subchapter I certification. The vessel measures 210-ft x 40-ft x 14-ft with over 1600 feet of clear deck space. The third vessel, the EPIC Seahorse, completed a life extension program renewing all regulatory requirements and reconfiguring the vessel for optimum use of the back deck area, repositioning dive support equipment below deck. The vessel measures 210-ft x 40-ft x 14-ft and is capable of providing a full range of subsea project support as a four-point vessel.