Dockwise's Mighty Servant 1 (MS1) recently set a transport weight record for a semisubmersible heavy transport ship.
On Nov. 20, the vessel delivered the 32,767-ton semisubmersible production unit Petrobras 36 (P36) from Sept-Iles, Canada, to Rio de Janeiro. This surpasses the transportation records of Santa Fe International Inc.'s Galaxy II and Rowan Companies Inc.'s Gorilla III, each at about 25,000 ton.
With a deadweight capacity of 45,402 tons and the ability to submerge up to 14 m above deck, MS1 is the only vessel in the world capable of loading and carrying unit loads of this type.
The P36 was loaded with a trim aft while the ship had a list over starboard. The rig was positioned over the ship using one big towing tug and three smaller tugs for adjustment. Once within the reach of the ship's tugger lines, the rig was connected with cross wires to the MS1 for final positioning.
To load the semisubmersible, which measures 113 x 77 m, the Mighty Servant 1 had to submerge 12 m of the hull plus 13 m above the water deck. After a 20-day voyage, the P36, a converted drilling unit, was safely discharged at Guanabara bay in Rio de Janeiro, next to the Santos Dumont airport.
Dockwise has seven vessels capable of carrying heavy drilling and production vessels.
