When Eidesvik Offshore ASA and Subsea 7, in collaboration with Ulstein, set out to build the most sophisticated offshore vessel in Norway, the owners’ expectations on the performance of the vessel were high. The Seven Viking was designed to operate in the cold and harsh, but delicate conditions of the North Seas, and it was clear that the crew would need to carry out numerous different operations on the vessel, safely and efficiently - even in rough seas.
This exceptional IMR (inspection, maintenance & repair) vessel, Seven Viking, was commissioned in January 2013, and included numerous advanced technologies incorporated into the vessel. It was not surprising the vessel, that sets a new standard for comfort, safety and efficiency, has received many maritime awards since its commissioning.
The high expectations on the vessel’s performance naturally meant that the choice of suppliers was crucial. Suppliers needed to rise up to the challenge to deliver their very best technology, all the parts needed to come together to form the most sophisticated offshore vessel built in Norway at that time. “We always have great expectations for suppliers, in particular those chosen for essential equipment such as propulsors,” says Arve Nilsen, Technical Manager and Head of Procurement for Eidesvik. This project was no exception.
The Seven Viking vessel combines the environmental friendliness of modern technology, such as CRP (contra-rotating propellers) azimuth propulsion, with the toughness of DNV ICE-C ice-classiffication. The choice of Steerprop for the delivery of the main propulsion units for the Seven Viking was a natural result of matching our experience and technology to the operational needs of the vessel. The vessel is equipped with three SP 35 CRP propulsors that combine a robust, durable construction with the high fuel efficiency of CRP technology.
In operation, the propulsors have proven to be easy to operate. They respond quickly to steering commands and provide good feedback during operations. They are also extremely efficient in keeping a steady position during Dynamic Positioning operations.
“So far we are very satisfied with the performance of the propulsors” Mr Nilsen concludes.
However, the customers’ expectations on Steerprop’s delivery did not stop there. High expectations were also set on commissioning and service performance, and at Steerprop we take our commitment seriously. We understand our customers’ needs and we always set out to perform at our very best, every step of the way. Throughout the periods of delivery, commissioning and service, our service personnel are co-operative, result-oriented and ready to go beyond the call of duty when necessary.
To further add value to our customer’s operations throughout the lifetime of the vessel, we installed the Steerprop Care Plus condition monitoring service on the vessel in 2019. The monitoring work is handled by our engineers who follow the machinery trends and detect and notify the crew in advance of any deviation that could affect the propulsion system. By taking this proactive approach, costly breakdowns can be avoided.
Steerprop Care Plus monitors the complete propulsion system, including vibration along with signals and alarms from the control system, using advanced techniques based on AI and machine learning. This offers shipowners the highest possible reliability, based on enhanced predictability, safety and productivity.
Quick facts
The Seven Viking is jointly owned by Eidesvik Offshore ASA and Subsea 7. The vessel’s technical and operational management is with Eidesvik Offshore ASA. In early 2013, the Seven Viking was chartered by Statoil to serve in the oil fields of the North Sea.
At the beginning of 2019, Seven Viking was converted from a conventional to a hybrid vessel. The vessel is presently on a long term charter on Norwegian Sector for Subsea 7 with Equnior as end client.
The Seven Viking is equipped with three SP 35 CRP propulsors from Steerprop for its main propulsion.
| Vessel type: | IMR Vessel |
| Classification: |
DNVGL 1A1 |
| Built by: | Ulstein AS of Norway |
| Owner: | Eidesvik Offshore ASA |
| Main propulsion: | 3 x SP 35 CRP |
| Power per unit: | 3 000 kW |
| Ice-Classification: | DNV ICE-C |
Watch a video about the Seven Viking IMR vessel on Ulstein’s YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/SMmiHB2Qa9M
