The designers visited the two platform supply vessels, NAO Thunder and NAO Guardian (design type PX121), and the IMR vessel Seven Viking (design type SX148). The trips lasted one day, four days, and six days, respectively. All vessels operate in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea.
At Ulstein Group, we design and build offshore vessels. We also have interests in ship investments. The ship designers can watch their designs being constructed outside their office windows. However, they seldom get a chance to be on board the vessels when in operation. When on board, they'll get feedback directly from crews and make their own experiences.
"The weather was quite bad, but the vessel coped splendidly - as did we," comments Torgrim Driveklepp, senior designer hydrodynamics, who spent six days on the 'Seven Viking'.
"I characterize us as lucky when getting the opportunity to visit the vessels in rough winterly weather. All our people who attended these trips experienced the vessels' movements when it's getting choppy," comments the design manager at Ulstein Design & Solutions AS, Frode Sollid.
He continues:
"The experience gained is of incredible value to us in further developing our designs and solutions. Now is the time to make our well-reputed offshore vessels even better."
Snorre Hjelseth, a co-partner from Oslo School of Architecture and Design, was on board all three field trips, while Frode Sollid was responsible for the planning and implementation of all three field trips.