Bourbon Orca (Kommandor Orca)

The vessel has been designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS. Upon delivery from Ulstein Verft in 2006, the ship was capable of operations such as Subsea Intervention, ROV operations, deepwater precision lifting and installation, cargo transportation, and oil recovery.

The innovations improved safety, environment, comfort, efficiency, fuel economy and seakeeping properties. "Less shaking also means less vibration, noise and splashing." (Arnkjell Brandal, the first officer to command the vessel until May 2015.)

The vessel 2023 (IMO 9352377) is designed by Ulstein Design & Solutions AS. Upon delivery from Ulstein Verft in 2006, the ship was capable of operations such as Subsea Intervention, ROV operations, deepwater precision lifting and installation, cargo transportation, and oil recovery.

The innovations improved safety, environment, comfort, efficiency, fuel economy and seakeeping properties. "Less shaking also means less vibration, noise and splashing." (Arnkjell Brandal, the first officer to command the vessel until May 2015.)

Due to the ULSTEIN X-BOW innovation, the vessel received several awards, including the 'Engineering feat of the Year 2005'. The bow design radically changed the perception of what an offshore vessel should look like. The X-BOW is a slender bow design with an inverted flare—the bow slopes backwards instead of forwards. Before the vessel was constructed, model tests proved that the shape would result in excellent sea-keeping qualities. The resistance level would be relatively low compared with flared designs due to the gentle entry angles into the waterline.

Feedback from the shipowner, Bourbon Offshore Norway, was gained six months after the vessel's delivery:
 
"We received an excellent workplace for the crew. Our crew members were eager to test the ship in harsh weather conditions. In one instance, when heading to an offshore location, Bourbon Orca left the shore base along with two AHTS vessels, one of which Bourbon owns. The latter two had to reduce the speed to approximately 7 knots while Bourbon Orca proceeded at 13 without difficulty." 

"The first storm was experienced in November 2006. Bourbon Orca headed for the oil field; the waves were about 15 metres. When meeting head seas, the vessel was moving smoothly. With sea from the sides, the crew described her as 'a much larger vessel'.

"The vessel is also equipped with diesel-electric propulsion, which had only been tested on a few AHTSs before, as an anchor handler needs a lot more propulsion power during heavy workloads than a PSV. Bourbon Orca has two azimuth propellers aft and one retractable thruster forward. Instead of having a giant motor on each main propeller, two electric motors are connected in series on each unit to use a low-voltage electrical system. The solution combines direct-current conversion and direct operation of the electric motors. This optimizes space utilization and makes the vessel more environmentally sound through lower emissions and more economical through lower fuel costs."

Milestones

2021: The vessel was sold to the UK-based company Hays Ships Ltd, and its name was changed to 'Kommandor Orca'.
2022: The vessel has been converted to a survey and research vessel.

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Skipshistorie

Skipet er designa av Ulstein Design & Solutions AS. Ved leveringa frå Ulstein Verft I 2006, var Bourbon Orca ny på tre måtar: Dieselelektrisk framdrift, den særmerkte ULSTEIN X-BOW og eit sikrare ankerhandteringssystem. Nyvinningane forbetra sikkerheita, miljøet, komforten, effektiviteten, drivstofføkonomien og sjøeigenskapane. 

"Med mindre risting, vert det også mindre vibrasjonar, mindre støy og mindre sjøsprøyt". (Arnkjell Brandal, første kaptein om bord fram til mai 2015). 

Skipet fekk ei rekkje utmerkingar, inkludert 'Årets ingeniørbragd 2005', som følgje av ULSTEIN X-BOW-innovasjonen. Baugdesignet endra redikalt oppfatninga av korleis eit offshorefartøy skal sjå ut. X-BOW er eit slankt baugdesign der baugen rundar seg bakover i staden for å lene seg framover. Resultata frå modelltestane hadde vist at baugforma gir ein stødig båt, og at motstandsnivået ville vere relativt lavt samanlikna med framoverlente baugdesign på grunn av den mjuke inngangen i vasslinja. 

Tilbakemelding på 'Bourbon Orca' frå reiarlaget, Bourbon Offshore Norway, etter seks månader i arbeid:
 
"Vi har fått ein god arbeidsplass for mannskapet. Vårt mannskap var ivrige etter å teste Bourbon Orca i tøffe vêrforhold. Ved eitt tilfelle skulle Bourbon Orca ut til ein offshorelokasjon. Skipet gjekk frå land saman med to andre ankerhandteringsskip, der eitt er eigd av Bourbon. Dei to skipa måtte redusere hastigheita til ca 7 knop medan Bourbon Orca heldt fram med 13 knop utan problem. Den første stormen opplevde vi i november 2006. Bourbon Orca gjekk til oljefeltet, og bølgjene var omkring 15 meter. Når fartøyet traff møtande sjø, bevegde skipet seg roleg. Når skipet fekk sjøen frå sidene, omtalte mannskapet det som "eit mykje større fartøy".

Skipet har også dieselelektrisk framdrift, som berre hadde blitt testa på nokre få AHTS-ar før. Eit ankerhandteringsfartøy treng mykje meir framdriftskraft under tunge arbeidsbelastningar enn ein PSV (plattform forsyningsskip). Bourbon Orca er utstyrt med to vribare azimuthpropellar akter og ein opptrekkbar thruster framme. I staden for å ha ein gigantisk motor på kvar propell, er to elektriske motorar kobla i serie på kvar eining, slik at vi kan bruke eit lavspent elektrisk system. Ein kombinerer likestraumsomforming med direkte drift av elektriske motorar. Dette optimaliserer plassutnytting. Med lavare utslepp er skipet meir miljøvennleg, og med lavare drivstoffkostnader er skipet meir økonomisk i drift.

2021: Skipet vart seld til det britiske selskapet Hays Ships Ltd og fartøyet endra namn til 'Kommandor Orca'.
2022: Skipet har blitt ombygd til eit forskingsskip (survey and research vessel).