Kongsberg Maritime Develops DP Solution for Construction Vessel

Dynamic Positioning and maneuvering solution to Pieter Schelte - Allseas' platform installation/decommissioning and pipelay vessel that will be delivered in 2011.
After the successful launch of Audacia in November 2007, Allseas is now fully committed to its next construction vessel - Pieter Schelte - which will take the pipe laying specialist into new territory by providing heavy lift and platform removal capability. With the Dutch company Imtech Marine & Offshore as contractor for the power and drive solution, Kongsberg Maritime will supply a unique integrated Dynamic Positioning and manoeuvring solution, tailored to the operations of Pieter Schelte.
Pieter Schelte will be one of the most advanced construction vessels in operation, and is due to enter service in 2011. With the U-shaped slot at the bow, the vessel can position itself around a platform jacket prior to the removal  process. For field abandonment/lifting operations, the vessel will have a capacity to handle topsides of 48,000 metric tons and jackets up to 25,000 metric tons. In pipe laying mode, with a tension capacity of 1,500 (upgradeable to 2,000) metric tons, the vessel will by far outstrip the existing global fleet.  
The Kongsberg Maritime integrated Dynamic Positioning and manoeuvring concept relies on a distributed and open system design, which employs a fully backed-up system-wide standardized communication network. The communication network integrates the K-POS Dynamic Positioning, K-Thrust thruster control, and K-Chief machinery automation systems, into a complete solution with unique positioning and maneuvering capabilities required for e.g. the planned heavy lift operations.
The vessel employs two fully equipped redundant bridges; forward and aft (in separate fire zones). The Kongsberg Maritime supplied equipment communicates either via the redundant LAN network or via the alternative also redundant serial network. The two bridges thus provide full redundancy for each other and the total system is redundant to an extent that surpasses the DP class 3 requirements.