Groen Offshore’s Merel-G: First with Oil and Gas Standby Capability
Damen Maaskant Shipyards Stellendam has a decade-long relationship with the family-run Groen Offshore Guard & Support, having built seismic-research vessels and completing a majority of the company’s repairs in the past. Recently the two parties were reunited in an event marking the naming of the newly purchased Damen twin-axe Fast Crew Supplier 2610 to be customised with offshore oil and gas standby capabilities.
Named after the ten-year old granddaughter of Groen’s Managing Director, the official handover of the Merel-G took place on 24 July. The vessel will be deployed on long-term charter for Wintershall in the Dutch and Danish sections of the North Sea. She will have two primary functions: semi-standby activities and crew transfer operations to and from Wintershall platforms.
The superior sea-keeping features combined with the position of the wheelhouse have resulted in the highest-possible level of operability for the first twin-axe FCS that will work in the oil and gas industry as opposed to offshore wind.
Groen Offshore Guard & Support has over forty years of experience in the offshore industry. Founded in 1973, with three vessels for the sport-fishing and recreation business in the North Sea, Groen transitioned to the offshore industry in 1980 and is now specialised in guard and seismic-support vessels, five of which were built at Maaskant. Operations were initially exclusive to the North Sea but have now expanded worldwide with a modern fleet of 27 vessels and 37 chartered vessels.
Visit Damen at Offshore Energy 2015 booth no. 9.023.