Ship built in Romania wins international award

Maersk Connector, a vessel built at the Damen Shipyard in Galati, in Eastern Romania, received last month the Offshore Support Ship 2017 award for “setting an industry benchmark through its innovative design and efficiency in operation.” The vessel is owned by Maersk Supply Service and is the second of Damen Shipyards Group’s Offshore Carrier 8500 series. The award was given at the Offshore Support Journal Annual Awards in London. The Maersk Connector was delivered to Maersk Supply Service in 2016 and, since then, the vessel has been on long term charter with UK-based DeepOcean working on a number of projects. The design of the vessel is the result of a collaboration between Maersk Supply Service, DeepOcean, and Damen Shipyards Group. Maersk Connector is equipped with a 7-point mooring system and it can maneuver on a comprehensive anchor spread allowing close approach for shore end installations. The vessel is certified to ground out fully loaded in suitable ground conditions for beach operations. This function eliminates the cost of a separate, shallow water vessel and reduces the number of required joints. The vessel can sustain speed and course in head seas with considerably reduced fuel consumption because of the DOC design’s sleek bow and slender hull. This characteristic also offers reduced slamming for increased safety and comfort on board, according to the description of the vessel. The Damen Shipyards Galati (DSGa) is the largest of Damen Shipyards Group’s 32 shipyards, repair yards and related companies worldwide. The Romanian state sold the Galati shipyard to Damen Shipyard Group in 1999. It has a diversified portfolio including anchor handlers, coast guard vessels, patrol ships/navy vessels, platform supply vessels and logistic support vessels, RoRo ships, ferries, dredgers and barges. Signature Damen vessels like the ASD 2810, ASD 2913, ASD 3212 and Stan Tug 4013 regularly roll off the Galati slipway on the Danube. Damen Galati shipyard pays EUR 4.2 mln dividends to Dutch owner Romania to pay EUR 1.6 bln for four corvettes from Damen editor@romania-insider.com (Photo source: www.damen.com)