Four different vessel designs – Multi Cats, Pusher Tugs, Stan Pontoons and Side Floaters – will operate on the Russian Gazprom Amur Gas Processing Plant Project
Damen Shipyards Group has secured an order with German heavy lift company Combi Lift to build a total of 19 specially customised shallow draught vessels. The vessels will be used to transport oversized and heavy lift cargo for the Gazprom Amur Gas Processing Plant Project in the Russian Far East. The multiple vessel order comprises four Multi Cats 2608SD, four Pusher Tugs 2612SD, seven Stan Pontoons 8916SD and four Side Floaters 8605SD.  River logistics  Combi Lift’s role in the Gazprom Amur Gas Processing Plant Project will be to transport over 176,000 tonnes of cargo from different production locations, over the sea to Russia and along the Amur and Zeya Rivers to the end-destination. The demanding scale of the work and the local geographical conditions have both had an influence on the designs of the Damen vessels.  For example, the project involves some significant heavy river transportation. Included in Combi Lift’s scope of work is the lifting and transportation of twelve columns, each weighing 900 tonnes. Furthermore, certain stretches of the Amur and Zeya Rivers can be very shallow. These conditions can also be compounded with severe weather conditions and winter ice.  Draught reduction  Due to the specific demands of the local environmental conditions and the project itself, Damen is making a number of adaptations to these vessels from its standardised portfolio. For example, reducing their overall weight and lengthening/widening them to achieve reduced draught and increased buoyancy. Furthermore, a raisable wheelhouse will be mounted to give a clear and safe overview of the deck and cargo.  The Side Floaters 8605SD will be used as lateral ballastable buoyancy modules in order to obtain a shallow draught for the Stan Pontoons when loaded with cargo.  “A project as challenging as this demands some very dependable vessels,” says Heiko Felderhoff, Combi Lift CEO. “We have worked closely with Damen to guarantee to the suitability of all these vessel designs and now we are looking forward to the next phase of this extensive and exciting project.”  Design and construction  “We have experience in Russia having delivered many vessels here in the past,” comments Damen Sales Manager Remko Bouma. We know the demands and requirements of this specific project and we have gone over the statistics of these rivers. This has lead to an optimised design which will ensure an efficient and continuous operation for Combi Lift. By making these project-specific design modifications in close cooperation with our client, this order demonstrates how flexible Damen’s standard portfolio can be.”  Construction of the vessels will take place at Damen Yichang Shipyard in China and Damen Shipyards Gorinchem and Damen Shipyards Hardinxveld in the Netherlands. All vessels will be built according local requirements. Damen Shipyards Group Damen Shipyards Group operates 33 shipbuilding and repair yards, employing 9,000 people worldwide. Damen has delivered more than 6,000 vessels in more than 100 countries and delivers some 180 vessels annually to customers worldwide. Based on its unique, standardised ship-design concept Damen is able to guarantee consistent quality. Damen’s focus on standardisation, modular construction and keeping vessels in stock leads to short delivery times, low ‘total cost of ownership’, high resale values and reliable performance. Furthermore, Damen vessels are based on thorough R&D and proven technology. Damen offers a wide range of products, including tugs, workboats, naval and patrol vessels, high speed craft, cargo vessels, dredgers, vessels for the offshore industry, ferries, pontoons and superyachts.  For nearly all vessel types Damen offers a broad range of services, including maintenance, spare parts delivery, training and the transfer of (shipbuilding) know-how. Damen also offers a variety of marine components, such as nozzles, rudders, anchors, anchor chains and steel works. In addition to ship design and shipbuilding, Damen Shiprepair & Conversion has a worldwide network of 17 repair and conversion yards with dry docks ranging up to 420 x 80 metres. Conversion projects range from adapting vessels to today’s requirements and regulations to the complete conversion of large offshore structures. DSC completes around 1,350 repair and maintenance jobs annually.