Incat Crowther is pleased to announce the delivery of Stapem Beluga, the first of two ABS-classed 18m Catamaran Dive Support Vessels built by Legacy Marine Group of Port Elizabeth, South Africa for Paris-based Stapem Offshore. The Marshal Island-flagged vessel will operate in the coastal waters of Angola in support of oil and gas exploration and production.

The vessel design has been customized to suit Stapem’s specific operational requirements. The aft exterior deck utilizes available space by combining deck lockers and racks for diving equipment storage with a covered dive prepping area. The vessel has four (4) fold-down dive ladders for water access, three (3) swing davits for assisting divers, and one (1) 3-ton hydraulic deck crane for additional operational support. The bow design is configured for efficient interaction with personal transfer ladders of Offshore FPSOs and Platforms. Robust closed cell polyethylene foam core fendering is provided around the perimeter of the vessel to protect it from damage. The main cabin has seating for fourteen persons and also a SL3 diving operations panel for monitoring dive operations.

Achieving speeds in excess of 20 knots, the vessel is powered by two (2) MAN D2876LE402 main engines, each coupled to a Hamilton HJ403 waterjet through ZF 360 gearboxes. Electrical power for the vessel and all dive operations is provided by two (2) Fischer Panda generators. Other items fitted below deck include a diesel-engine driven hydraulic power unit for powering the deck crane, a caviblaster system, low pressure compressor and subsea tool system.

READ MORE