Blue Queen (Kasteelborg)
New name: Kasteelborg. Originally delivered as a medium-sized platform supply vessel of the PX121 design, the vessel has been converted to a Walk-to-Work emergency response and rescue vessel, W2W ERRV, for the inspection and maintenance of unmanned platforms.
Primary Specifications
Additional Data
Ship history
In total, 30 vessels of this design have been contracted by different ship owners for construction at various shipyards world-wide. "Blue Queen" was the 9th being constructed at Ulstein Verft, and is the sister vessel to 'Blue King'.
Named at Ulstein Verft, lady sponsor Dagny Wærdahl.
In 2015, the vessel received the highest ESI (Environmental Ship Index) score of 100 points from the World Port Climate Initiative (WPCI).
2017: Entered into a 6-year contract for Wagenborg Offshore, to support the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) and SHELL UK Exploration & Production (Shell UK) with their offshore maintenance operations in the Southern North Sea. Ulstein Design & Solutions AS performed weight estimates based on ship's data and data for the new components including the accommodation block, the Motion-compensated crane and the Motion-compensated gangway, and also carried out stability calculations, motion analysis and heel test.
December 2017: The vessel arrived at the shipyard Royal Niestern Sander, Holland for conversion from a standard platform supply vessel to a walk to work emergency response and rescue vessel: W2W ERRV.
7 March 2018: The converted vessel was put into service. After conversion, the vessel has had the accommodation facilities expanded by installing an additional accommodation and emergency response unit on deck. A motion compensated gangway system, a heave compensated crane and a daughter craft and fast rescue craft have been installed, as well as hose reels for chemical transport. Kasteelborg will support the offshore activities on the southern North Sea under a 6-year contract with the Nederlandse Aardolie Maatschappij (NAM) and SHELL UK Exploration & Production (Shell UK). The so-called 'Walk-to-Work Emergency Response and Rescue Vessel' (W2W ERRV) provides maintenance services for unmanned platforms in the Southern North Sea.
25 October 2018: Naming of the 'Kasteelborg' by Mrs. Marjan van Loon, CEO Shell Netherlands. Using walk-to-work vessels for their maintenance operations allows Shell and NAM to 'decomplex' their infrastructure, reducing their overall costs of producing hydrocarbons from the Southern North Sea. https://www.wagenborg.com/royal-wagenborg/news/walk-to-work-vessel-kasteelborg-christened-in-port-of-den-helder
2023: Still active - IMO 9732204