Norwegian shipyard Ulstein Verft has contracted Hydroniq Coolers to deliver the seawater cooling system to a newbuild cable laying vessel it is constructing for Nexans Marine Operations.
Under the contract, Aalesund-based Hydroniq Coolers will supply several of its Pleat seawater coolers for the large, DP3 cable laying vessel. Marine cooling systems are utilised to reduce temperatures in the ship’s engines and other auxiliary systems through use of seawater to avoid over heating of the engine and other critical systems.
The Pleat coolers will provide central cooling of all the vessel’s main motors, including the main engine, propulsion system and other auxiliary systems, through the use of seawater. Hydroniq Coolers has not disclosed the value of the contract.
The vessel, a ST-297 CLV design by Skipsteknisk, is an updated version of the Nexans Aurora cable laying vessel which was delivered from Ulstein Verft to Nexans Subsea Operations in 2021.
“We supplied the marine cooling system to Nexans Aurora back in 2020, and we are proud that the yard and shipowner place a repeat order with us. The feedback we receive from our customers is that they consider the Pleat to be a reliable, maintenance friendly and cost-efficient sea water cooling system,” says Magnar Kvalheim, sales manager at Hydroniq Coolers.
The patented Pleat is a module-based titanium cooler or seawater to freshwater. The modern design of the Pleat ensures a reliable product which significantly reduces the need to maintain the system. However,when maintenance is required, it can be done easily and quickly. Maintenance of the Pleat involves dismantling, high-pressure cleaning, and assembly of a few robust elements that are easy to get watertight again.
“Compared to a traditional heat exchanger, one Pleat cooling element is equal to approximately 15 plates. Whereas cleaning a traditional plate heat exchanger can take a significant amount of time to complete, cleaning of the Pleat can easily be done buy one person within one hour. This is an obvious advantage of the system, particularly for vessels that operate offshore for long periods at a time, such as this new build cable laying vessel,” adds Magnar Kvalheim.
Hydroniq Coolers will manufacture at assemble the Pleat coolers at its headquarters at Ellingsøy outside Aalesund, Norway, and deliver it to Ulstein Verft in Ulsteinvik, Norway.
The new vessel is specially designed to carry out the transport and laying of various types of subsea cables, including cable bundles as well as recovery and repair. It can perform effectively even in challenging weather conditions and boasts exceptional manoeuvrability and station-keeping capabilities. Ulstein Verft is responsible for the vessel’s construction and the preparation of its topside equipment.
This cutting-edge cable laying vessel features a split turntable on deck capable of holding up to 10,000t of cable, an under-deck turntable with a 3,500t cable capacity, and a fibre optic basket holding 450t. The vessel measures 31 metres in width, 149.9 metres in length, and is accommodated for a crew of 90.
