Project: km3net March 2013

Clients

Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare (INFN) – Laborator Nazionali del Sud (LNS)

Fugro Chance Inc.

Tidewater Marine Inc.

Overview

Mediterranean Trading Shipping was appointed to hire a vessel with ROV capability and crew to transport a tower to site and execute a sub-sea installation and connection. The specifications of the ROV was to operate in water depths of 3500 meters with 2 x 5 function manipulators. An experienced ROV crew familiar with optic connections was required.

A five day time limit was set for a full turnaround.

Scope of work

• Transportation of Tower from Catania Port to warehouse at DWQ.
• Mobilisation of equipment on the Nautical Tide.
• ROV Survey, Deployment and Connection, Calibration, ROV Recovery 32 hours.
• Demobilisation of the Nautical Tide.

Resources

• Fugro Chance Inc. personnel
• Tidewater Marine Inc. personnel
• Mediterranean Trading Shipping (MTS) Personnel
• F.E. Sullivan & Co Ltd – Affiliated Ship Chandler
• Quayside Crane
• Temporary Storage & Transportation
• Customs & Freight Agency Ltd. (Passalacqua) Haulage
  Frida Transportation Haulage
• Affiliated Crew Transportation

Procedure

Prior commencement of operations and safety matters were discussed with all clients, and measures were in hand and distributed to all personnel as required.

• 13th March – Collection of equipment from Catania.
• 14th March – INFN personnel visited the warehouse at DWQ to verify the tower is electronically sound.
• Vessel Nautical Tide arrived at Grand Harbour  on the 18th March and berthed at Wine Wharf.
  Personnel from MTS were in attendance to ensure de-mobbing of the vessel was discharged and stored as planned. Relevant entry passes were also organised so all persons involved would have access to the warehouse on a 24/7 basis.
• 22nd March – Vessel available for embarkation of INFN personnel at 08:00 and completion of vessel orientation.
• Initial pre-job meeting at 11:00.
• Tower load out meeting and JSA held at 13:00.
• MTS coordinated shore-side crane of 125MT and haulage company to transport and load the tower on the vessel at 14:00.
• Fugro and vessels’ company secured the tower and LBL tripod on the deck.
• ROV crew practice with connector mock up frame.
• Vessel cast off to work site at 19:00.
• 23rd March – Vessel arrived on site at 07:00.
• Pre-dive Meeting at 08:00.
• DIVE – 09:00.
• Field Operations form 09:00 until 20:00.
• Vessel sailed back to Malta at 20:00.
• 24th March – Arrival at Grand Harbour, berthed at Wine Wharf.
• Post-op meeting and demobbing of INFN gear by the ship’s company.
• Haulage of INFN equipment to warehouse and transportation to Catania.
• All matters proceeded well and demobbing was completed. After acceptance from the Master that the vessel was returned to its original condition. The charter off-hire time was established for 14:00.

Conclusion
A post mortem was performed during a meeting between the stakeholders employed by MTS.

It was concluded that MTS and the stakeholders performance was satisfactory and only very minor items needed to be addressed in future operations.

Clients Feedback

“Many thanks for the excellent service provided by your company during the Mob and Demob of the Nautical Tide while at Wine Wharf as part of the km2net project. There is no doubt that the attention to detail an the excellent service you and your staff provided a major part in the safe and successful operations achieved. We look forward to working with you gain and have no hesitation in recommending your services to others intending to use Malta in their vessel operations”

Klaus Leismuller – Marine Operations, km3net.