Rolls-Royce, the global power systems company, has been selected by Island Offshore to design, power and equip an advanced subsea construction vessel.

The versatile UT 737 CD vessel will support the most demanding subsea projects, including constructing and servicing oil and gas wells on the sea bed, up to 3,000 metres below sea level.

In order to support such challenging missions the vessel will include special features, including two independent systems for launching and recovering Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV), a 125 tonne offshore crane that compensates for wave movements and an advanced offshore tower which handles subsea equipment through a large opening in the hull of the vessel, called a moon pool.

Anders Almestad, Rolls-Royce, President – Offshore said: “This high tech vessel will showcase a combination of innovative technology and world-class, energy efficient design. It demonstrates our position as the market leader in high specification offshore vessels and our ability to meet the challenges of the demanding deepwater oil and gas industry.”

The design and fit out of the vessel enables it to perform almost any duty in a deepwater oil field. In addition to supporting subsea operations it can transport cargo to and from offshore oil and gas platforms and act as a rescue and oil spill response vessel.

The vessel will also include a diesel electric propulsion system incorporating four Bergen engines. These will drive two Azipull thrusters and two side thrusters, which will work in unison with a dynamic positioning system to enable the vessel to maintain position when undertaking subsea activities. A diesel electric propulsion system will significantly improve fuel efficiency and lower the vessel’s emissions.

The Rolls-Royce designed UT 737 CD will be built at STX OSV’s shipyard in Brevik, Norway and is scheduled for delivery in early 2014.