To support its ongoing dredging activities, Van Oord has started an 18-month charter agreement with Damen Marine Services for a Modular Multi Cat (MMuC) 2210.
Damen completed construction under a short timescale, delivering the vessel just four months after contract signing.
The newly built vessel is the first fully classified Damen MMuC to enter service, making Damen Marine Services the launching customer.
Dredging and marine contractor Van Oord has a substantial fleet operating in the Caspian Sea region, to which Damen has contributed six vessels.
In addition to four crew boats, these include two Cutter Suction Dredgers (CSD 650), the Ural River and the Mangystau, that were delivered last year.
This new MMuC 2210, called Telesto, will be mobilized in a dredge support role to the Mangystau.
Damen performed the bulk of the construction of the 22-meter MMuC at its Koźle yard in Poland.
This was followed by final outfitting and delivery at Damen Shipyards Gorinchem in the Netherlands just four months after contract signing.
A fast delivery was imperative, says Damen Marine Services Managing Director Rik van Prooijen : “The northern part of the Caspian Sea freezes over in the winter months. So it was vital to get this vessel delivered by March – the start of the operational season there.”
The Telesto has a 60 tonne-meter crane and a 30-tonne winch which will provide a valuable dredge support and anchor handling capacity.