FUGRO’S latest ship, Fugro Searcher, was successfully launched last month at the Fassmer Shipyard in Germany.
The vessel is now in final fitting-out prior to going on sea trials shortly. Fugro says it remains on schedule for formal delivery into Fugro Survey Limited’s fleet in March 2010.
Fassmer of Bremen designed and constructed this new geophysical survey vessel in close co-operation with Fugro Survey, and it is the first such new-build since the early-1980s.
At 65m length overall and with accommodation for 43 in en-suite single and double cabins, the expectation is that it will be a comfortable and spacious vessel on which to work and is fully capable of worldwide operations.
The suite of survey equipment is extensive, including a suite of sounders and sonars, plus seismic source.
The vessel will be fully networked to provide full plug-and-play interconnectivity and will have Fugro’s dual DGPS high-precision navigation systems.
The company says that the design of the vessel will permit simultaneous analogue/digital survey operations and AUV (autonomous underwater vehicle) operations.
Geotechnical and ROVSV (remotely-operated vehicle support vessel) duties can also be undertaken.
Diesel electric drive, a specially designed hull form, resilient engine mounts and rudder propellers will maximise station-keeping and navigational control while, hopefully, ensuring acoustically quiet running at survey speeds.
Fugro Searcher will be operated by Fugro Survey of Aberdeen.