Damen Oskarshamnsvarvet in Sweden has won the public tender for a contract to undertake a major life extension programme on the survey and research vessel S/V Ocean Surveyor, owned by SGU, Sweden’s national geological survey agency.

The vessel will undergo the life-time extension over the course of 12 months. It will include the replacement of the all the machinery, bridge and auxiliary systems including HVAC and a complete overhaul of all remaining equipment. A key aspect of the project will be the conversion of the propulsion and electrical systems from diesel to diesel electric. The overall objective of the year-long programme will be to deliver a modern, low-impact vessel with a good working environment for both the crew and the scientists working on board and better overall accessibility.

“We are happy to let Damen Oskarshamnsvarvet perform the extensive conversion of the vessel and are confident that she will be ready for another 25 years of marine surveying prior to the field season 2021. Ocean Surveyor is a key platform for many marine surveys conducted in Sweden, not only for SGU, but also for other operators hiring the vessel’s unique surveying facilities,” said Björn Bergman, operations manager at SGU.

Built 1984 in Norway, the Ocean Surveyor is a twin hull, multi-purpose, survey and ROV support vessel constructed using Kevlar / FRP composite for operations mainly in coastal waters. 38 metres long and 12 metres across she has accommodation for 15 personnel across 12 cabins and is equipped with DPS as well as various fixed hydroacoustic measuring systems. The main deck is fitted with winches, cranes, an aft frame and a moon pool for deploying samplers and underwater cameras. There are two laboratories on board; a wet lab for sediment and environmental sample analysis, and a space with a gamma spectrometer and sediment X-ray for the detailed study of samples.

“We are delighted to have won this contract,” said Flip van der Waal, managing director at Damen Oskarshamnsvarvet Sweden. “The tender process was rigorous, requiring a lot of research and pre-engineering, and now that we have been awarded the project we are responsible for the entire design scope and the procurement as laid down by the SGU. In many ways it’s not so different from a newbuild. We are very confident that our capabilities and facilities are perfectly suited to this project – including our main hall where we will carry out the work. This covered environment is the ideal location to conduct work on a composite vessel such as this. We look forward to getting started.”

The contract was signed on Friday 28 February. Work will begin on the vessel on 6 April 2020 and is scheduled for completion by 31 March 2021.