Yno 257 - Normand Cutter

 IMO 9231535. 

Ship history

2000: After the work had started on the yno 257 (Normand Cutter), Solstad Offshore decided to build a sister vessel, yno 258 (Normand Clipper), at Ulstein Verft.

2001: Normand Cutter was delivered in 2001 to Solstad Cable Ships AS and chartered by TyCom. The vessel was built as a cable lay and repair vessel of the VS 4125 CLV design. At the time of delivery, the vessel was equipped and fitted for:
- Handling any type of underwater telecommunication cable (dia 14 - 150 mm) 
- Handling repeaters up to 380 mm diameter, stacking up to 200 repeaters 
- Operation in both shallow and deep water 
- Stern working Range 6000 n.m. at service speed 
- Continuous operation at sea for 40 days 
"Normand Cutter" was built with a flexible, redundant and powerful diesel-electric propulsion and machinery package, and a spacious hotel compliment of high standards and with a capacity for 70 persons. Further with a hull integrated helicopter landing platform.

The ship was rebuilt at Ulstein Verft in 2004 to a deepwater subsea construction and umbilical lay DP vessel. Toggle to see aftermarket reference.

Main particulars before conversion:

MAIN DIMENSIONS 
Length overall approx 127,5 m 
Length hull (excl. whiskers) 124,2 m 
Length between p.p. 112,93 m 
Breadth moulded 23,4 m 
Depth to 1" deck 12,0 m 
Design draught midship 7,2 m 
Scantling draught 8,6 m

CAPACITIES 
Marine Ballast water 4000 m3 
Fresh water 750 m3 
Fuel oil 3375 m3 
Deadweight at max draught 8,4 m, 10750 T Gross tonnage, international 12435 GRT

CAPACITIES 
Cable Tanks 
Tank for fibre optic cable CL, no 1, 1565 m3 - 3000 tonnes 
Tank for fibre optic cable CL no 2, 1565 m3 - 3000 tonnes 
Spare tank for cable PS 300 m3 - 250 tonnes 
Spare tank for cable SV 300 m3 - 250 tonnes 
Two off Rope Bins, PS and SB

CLASSIFICATION / FLAG 
Class: Det norske Veritas +1A1, Cable Laying Vessel, DYNPOS AUTR., E0, HELIDK, Dk(+), Tmon Flag: NIS

PERFORMANCE 
Speed approx 16,5 knots 
Bollard Pull approx 120 tonnes

ACCOMMODATION 
The vessel is built with a capacity for 70 persons. All cabins have a separate toilet/shower 

• 9 state cabins with a day room and a bedroom
• 40 one-man cabins
• 11 two-man cabins
• One mess (Cafeteria) and one coffee shop
• Two dayrooms and one library conference room with three adjacent offices
• Ship office
• Helideck reception
• A hospital with two beds
• Recreation centre

TECHNICAL DATA 
Rudders / Steering Gears 
Two High lift flap Rudders 
Two Steering Gears

Side Thruster 
Two Tunnel Thruster forward, each of 1500 kW 
One Retractable Azimuth Thruster forward, of 1500 kW 
Two Tunnel Thrusters aft, each of 1200 kW

Roll Damping System

Navigation / Communication 
10 cm and 3 cm APRA radars, Electronic chart system (ECDIS) 
Survey Echo Sounder with three transducers 
Radio installation according to GMDSS - area A3 Inmarsat C, Inmarsat B 
Worldwide TV Satellite system

Deck Machinery (Marine) 
Two combined Windlasses / Mooring Winches, 58 mm K3 chain 
Two Mooring Winches aft, pull 10 tonnes 
Two Tugger Winches aft, pull 10 tonnes 
Two Tugger winches 1st deck, pull 3 tonnes

Lifesaving and Rescue Equipment 
Two enclosed lifeboats with davits, each of 70 persons 
Three life rafts for 70 persons with davit, each side MOB boat with one-armed davit

Helicopter deck 
Size: 19,5 m diameter 
Dimensioned for Super Puma AS 332 L2 
Approvals: DnV, Luftfartsverket, UK CAA/BHAB

Machinery / Propulsion System 
Two Main Generatore engines, each 3840 kW / 4800 kVA - 600 rpm 
Two Main Generator engines, each 4320 kW / 5400 kVA - 600 rpm 
Two El. Propulsion motors, each 3900 kW - 720 rpm, 0 - 720 rpm, 12-pulse frequency converter driven. 
Two Reduction Gears, each of 3900 kW, - 720 rpm. 
Two CP Main Propellers in Nozzles, dia 4,0 m.

Oil Purification Plant 
Two FO Separators (MDO) 
Four LO Separators.

Fresh Water Generators 
Two FW generators, each with capacity 15 m3 per 24 hours.

Electric Power Plant (Volt AC - 60 Hz) 
Two Main Generators, each of 4800 kVA 
Two Main Generators, each of 5400 kVA 
Two Transformers 6,6 kV / 450 V each of 1500 kVA for ship's load. 
Two Transformers 6,6 kV / 450 V each of 1500 kVA for ROV / Plough eqm. Harbour generator, 1138 kVA Emergency generator, 238 kVA Clean power plant / UPS systems

Electric Equipment 
Main Switchboard 6,6 kV 
Switchboards 450 B, 230 V, and 110 V Emergency Switchboard

Cable Laying Equipment 
Cable Drum Engine, drum dia. 4,0 m, SWL 25 tonnes 
DOHB Winch (Draw Off Hold Back) SWL 6 tonnes, 6w.p. Cable Diverter for cable drum engine 
Linear Engine, 20 wheel pairs, SWL 20 tonnes 2 off 
Portable DOHB winches, SWL 2 tonnes, 2 w.p. 2 off Repeater stacks, each of 100 repeaters air-conditioned 
Overhead travelling gantry crane, for cable area. SWL 5 tonnes Cable Manager system. 
Plough Equipment A-frame, SWL 60 tonnes Traction type 
Towing winch, SWL 140 tonnes 
Storage Winch, 4000 m of 54 mm dia wire with Passive Heave Compensator 
Umbilical winch

Stern Sheaves 
Double split repair sheave, dia 3000, width 2 x 625, SWL 40 T 
Cable laying sheave, dia 3000, width 550
SWL 20 T Tow wire sheave, dia 1200, width 200 
SWL 140 T Umbilical sheave, dia 1600, width 300 
SWL 5 T Cranes Offshore crane, SWL 25 t - 15 m / 12 t - 26 m, knuckle jib. 
2 deck crane, SWL 2 t - 12 m, knuckle jib. 
2 Provision Cranes, each 2 t - 12,2 m folding type 2 off Buoy handling davits, 
SWL 10 tonnes

Workshops and control rooms 
Transmission test room 
Jointing space 
Dark room 
Chem. store 
An extensive CCTV system is used for the surveillance of deck and cable-laying engines.