Topaz Energy and Marine, a leading offshore support vessel company, has bolstered its Emergency Response and Recovery Vessel (ERRV) fleet with the addition of a fourth vessel.

The newly-built, state-of-the-art Topaz Responder will primarily provide safety support to offshore installations but is versatile enough to also provide general offshore support services. Constructed to the highest standards, the vessel was built in the ship building yard by Topaz Energy and Marine’s sister company, Topaz Engineering, in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi.

Topaz Energy and marine’s board of directors, led by chairman Samir J Fancy and chief executive officer René Kofod-Olsen, recently attended the naming ceremony to mark the official launch of Topaz Responder.

Kofod-Olsen said: “We see a growing opportunity in the Emergency Response market as safety becomes increasingly embedded in our clients’ operations as a strategic imperative. The modern and state-of-art Topaz Responder is therefore an excellent and timely addition. The new vessel not only supports our growth strategy, it also underscores our commitment to maintaining one of the youngest fleets in the industry.”

The vessel is equipped with on-board medical treatment and recovery facilities, firefighting and oil recovery capabilities and two 15-man fast rapid deployment craft, which can be deployed from the vessel’s deck to the water in 60 seconds.

It has capacity for 300 people on board and fully-equipped treatment room. Topaz Responder is 51 metres in length with a deadweight of 775 tonnes and is equipped with Dynamic Positioning Class 1 capability and two Caterpillar 3512B engines.

In addition to the Topaz Responder, a Multi-Purpose Support Vessel (MPSV) is expected to be launched in mid-2015 and a 150 tonne bollard pull Anchor Handling Tug Supply Vessel (AHTSV) will join the Topaz fleet late 2016.

Source: Trade Arabia