Polarcus Adira & Amani

Polarcus Limited received its eighth 3D seismic vessel in June, when Polarcus Adira was delivered at Ulstein Verft in Norway. The vessel is the second of two 12-14 streamer Arctic 3D seismic vessels built at the yard, and is the eighth vessel in the Polarcus fleet of the Ulstein SX134 design, characterized by the sleek Ulstein X-bow hull design. Sistership Polarcus Amani was delivered by the yard at the end of March. Earlier vessels were built under license by Drydocks World Dubai LLC, and include Polarcus Nadia (2009), and Polarcus Naila (2010), 12 streamer vessels of type SX124,  Polarcus Asima (2010) and Polarcus Alima (2011), 12 streamer vessels of type SX134, Polarcus Samur (2011) and the Russian flag vessel Vyacheslav Tikhonov (2011), 8 streamer vessels of type SX133. All vessels are designed by Ulstein Design and Solutions AS. Following a short shakedown Polarcus Adira commencd ops on charter for TGS-NOPEC Geophysical Company ASA (TGS).
Polarcus Limited operates a fleet of high performance 3D/4D seismic vessels. The hull of Polarcus Adira and Polarcus Amani were built at Kerch Shipyard Zaliv in Ukraine. As is the custom for the ships built by Ulstein Verft shipyard in Ulsteinvik. This was the seventh hull built at the yard.
The vessels are equipped with streamer winches, towing points and gun winches. The X-bow hull line design, combined with a redundant diesel-electric propulsion system, ensures good performance with regard to speed and fuel consumption.  Polarcus Adira measures 92 x 21, with a depth to main deck is 9m, a design draft is 6.5m and maximum draft 7.5 m. The deadweight at maximum draught is 4,472dwt. Gross tonnage is 7709GT and net tonnage 2313NT.
The vessel is equipped with a helideck (D-value 22.2 m, 12t, UK-CAA CAP-437 suitable for Sikorsky S-61N / S-92) for added safety and to ensure an efficient crew change, and is built according to IMO code of safety for Special Purpose Ships (SPS), enabling it to operate worldwide. The vessel has two workboats, by Westplast, and a Norsafe MOB boat onboard and six life rafts each for 35 persons with dedicated davit.
The vessel has diesel-electric propulsion. The main propulsion system comprises two Wärtsilä 9L26 main diesel generators, each 2920ekW at 1000rpm, plus four Wärtsilä 9L20 1710ekW diesel generators, at 1000rpm. The generators are supplied by ABB. The total power is 12,680ekW. There are two propellers of controllable pitch type in nozzles, the shaft line of each driven by two variable speed electric motors through twin in-single out reduction gears type Scana Propulsion ACGTS 1000.
 All diesel engines have selective catalyst reactor (SCR) units, supplied by H+H Umwelt,  to reduce NOx emissions. NO2 emissions are reduced by some 90%  to  98%,  soot  by 20% to  30%  and  hydrocarbon emissions  by  80% to 90%. There are two ABB electric propulsion motors in parallel configuration on each side, each motor 0-2200ekW, 0-1000rpm. The two controllable pitch propellers in nozzles, supplied by Scana Propulsion, each absorb 4400kW at 160rpm and have a diameter of 3700mm. There is an Caterpillar emergency generator with a power of 240ekW.
The vessel runs on marine gas oil (MGO) with low sulphur content. The Fuel oil (MDO) capacity is 2030 cu.m. and fresh water capacity 1032 cu.m.. The vessel can also carry ballast water/tech. fresh water 2170 cu.m., lube oil 63 cu.m., and urea for the catalysts reactors 289 cu.m.
Towing pull in seismic operation is 82t. Bollard pull exceeds 125t. Polarcus Adira has a maximum speed of 17 knots, at 5.5m draft.
There is one 1200kW tunnel thruster forward equipped with a controllable pitch propeller and one 850 kW retractable azimuth thruster forward. There is one tunnel thruster aft, 830 kW,  controllable pitch.
The vessel is equipped with a roll damping tank system. There are two fresh water generators, each producing 15 cu.m./24h. There are two fuel oil separators, self cleaning type and three lube oil separators. In addition there is one mobile hydraulic oil separator and a USCG approved bilge water separator. A ballast water treatment system is installed.  Ulstein Power & Control has delivered the switchboards 690V, 400V and 230V, the emergency switchboard, and the communication and information system type Ulstein COM to the vessel.
The vessel has a Kongsberg Maritime Dynamic positioning system, DP2 type, and has two DGPS, and a radius reference system. There is preparations for Kongsberg's HiPAP 500 high precision acoustic positioning.  The integrated automation system is supplied by Høglund Marine Automation.  Polarcus Adira is an Arctic-ready vessel designed and built for operations in Arctic waters carrying the ICE-1A* and Winterized Basic notations from Det Norske Veritas, the classification company of these vessels. Polarcus Adira can operate in first-year ice of up to 1 metre thickness without the assistance of icebreaker. The hull is ice-reinforced and the vessel has de-icing and ice-preventing systems at critical tanks, pipelines and systems, and the propellers, gears and thrusters are dimensioned for withstanding operations in ice. Escape corridors and rescue equipment are also protected against icing during Arctic operations.  Polarcus Adira is built with a hotel compliment with permanent capacity for 60 persons in 32 single and 14 double cabins. There is a mess room which seats 43, day rooms, internet café, gym and sauna, as well as a hospital, offices and a conference room. There are three crew state cabins, one client state cabin, twenty-eight one-bed cabins, fourteen two-bed cabins. There are also rooms for dry provision, a cooler and freezer room, and laundries. There is a special helicopter reception room.
Classification is from Det Norske Veritas.  The vessel is designed for environmental friendly operations. The vessel carries the Clean Design notation from DNV. A GREEN PASSPORT is issued. Low noise and vibration levels are recorded in the accommodation and on deck. Class notations are Det Norske Veritas ✠ 1A1, E0, DYNPOS-AUTR, CLEAN DESIGN, COMF-V(3), ICE-1A*, WINTERIZED BASIC, NAUT-AW, HELDK, BWM-T, TMON, SPS. The vessel carries Bahamas flag.


(As published in the December 2012 edition of Maritime Reporter - www.marinelink.com)