Emergency Response and Rescue Vessel (ERRV) specialist Sentinel Marine has taken delivery of the tenth new-build vessel in its fleet. Twenty-four new jobs have been created by the firm’s investment, bringing the headcount at the Aberdeen-based company to 300.
The 60 metre, 2030 tonne Cromarty Sentinel, built in Fujian in South East China, is making its maiden voyage to the North East via Singapore and is expected to arrive in Aberdeen in early March.
The Cromarty Sentinel, which flies the British flag, joins the newest, cleanest and greenest fleet operating in the North Sea and becomes Sentinel Marine’s most efficient vessel. Cromarty Sentinel is the tenth new build in a multi-million investment in 12 new ERRVs. The remaining two vessels in this phase of new builds are expected to be delivered to Sentinel Marine by the end of 2022.
The Cromarty Sentinel has enhanced efficiency features including dynamic positioning upgraded to DP2, allowing it to maintain position even in the event of component failure and giving an additional level of safety. Other enhancements and safety features include firefighting to Class1 standard, oil recovery, dry bulk, brine and liquid mud capacity. As with all of the new builds in the Sentinel fleet, The Cromarty Sentinel also has a green passport which lists all the materials used in its construction which are potentially hazardous to human health or the environment. When the ship is decommissioned at the end of its life, the passport is also sent to the recycling yard.
“Since we started to build the Sentinel fleet of vessels, efficiency and green credentials have always been at the forefront of our minds,” says Sentinel Marine chief executive officer Rory Deans. “We build vessels which are operationally efficient, but which also deliver positive environmental benefits. The fuel efficiency of the whole Sentinel Fleet supports our clients’ moves towards reducing their environmental impacts towards the net zero economy.”
Mr Deans continues, “The welfare of our seafarers is of equal importance to us. All of our vessels have been designed and built to provide greater levels of crew comfort in terms of both facilities such as a gym and through the use of anti-rolling tanks for stabilisation.”
The Cromarty Sentinel has increased accommodation on board for up to 34 crew with SPS coding for additional safety. All crew cabins have en suite facilities, internet connections and satellite TV.
The Sentinel fleet has been designed to perform a wide range of tasks including collision avoidance; oil spill recovery; patrolling waters for fisheries agencies; fast response; in-field transfers; search and rescue; border control and disruption of criminal activities such as people trafficking. Much of the work of Sentinel vessels takes place in the North Sea oil fields, however, the firm is seeing increased opportunities beyond this traditional ERRV roles.
Rory Deans adds, “We have developed a fleet which, regardless of the end user’s specific sector, presents efficiencies. The vessels are energy efficient and operationally efficient because of the range of functionality, and they offer a safe and comfortable environment for our seafarers.”