Cummins Vessel Reference #643

Brazil’s Inace Shipyard (Indústria Naval do Ceará S.A.) is located on the Atlantic Ocean at Fortaleza over 2100 kilometers (1300 miles) north of Rio de Janeiro. With a history in fishing boats, military craft, tugs and super yachts, the yard was a logical choice when an owner was choosing a builder for a modern fast supply vessel (FSV).

There really is no such thing as an “ordinary” FSVs, they are all big powerful boats capable of carrying large loads at speed. But the boat at Inace Shipyard is truly remarkable. It is the first of four of the innovative new Guido Perla and Associates designed fast supply vessels. At 50 meters (164.04 feet) it is big, with a 10-meter molded beam it is trim, with a raked bow it is sleek and with 7,200 horsepower it is powerful.

In August, the Siem Caetés, was alongside at the Inace yard for final outfitting. The family resemblance to the GPA-designed Offshore Supply Vessels and Anchor Handling Tugs was evident. However a walk through the all aluminum vessel revealed a very different approach to the FSV concept. Most remarkable is the main-deck cabin that extends forward, with a taper to the bow and fully out to the sides of the hull. Stepping into the starboard side from the 28.5 by 7.8-meter open aft-deck one enters a cavernous stowage area complete with recessed pad-eyes for transport of more sensitive cargos. The rig-crew-transport role of this boat is reduced to a relatively small space on the portside of the main-deck house with seating for only 12 people.

Below decks a well laid out galley and mess area are just ahead of a companionway flanked by five crew staterooms with bunks for nine crew members. From there a watertight door leads to the generator room with a pair of Cummins 6B-powered 99 kW generators along with the electrical control panels. The main engine room is filled with four Cummins KTA50-M2 engines each rated for 1800 HP at 1900 RPM. The front of the two center engines have 280 kW WEG generators connected by Vulcan clutches. The two outside engines can be set at 900 RPM to operate in conjunction with the two 150-HP bow tunnel thrusters when holding position in DP-1. The main engines turn 1.2-meter propellers through Twin disc marine gears. The engines were sourced through Dist. Cummins Diesel do NE Ltda. (DCDN) of Fortaleza.

Liquid capacities include; ships fuel 22 m3, cargo fuel oil 64.6 m3, ship’s potable water 17.4 m3, potable water cargo 65 m3. Deck cargo capacity is 250 metric tons. The maximum design speed, light boat, is 25 knots with a 21-knot service speed when 175 mt DWT. Maximum deadweight is 350 mt. The vessel is classed by ABS +A1 AMS H.S.C. Crewboat Notation +ABCU, SOLAS Lifesaving or equivalent. It is also classed DnV +1A1 HSLC R2 Cargo A, SOLAS Livesaving.

Inace Shipyard has been building in aluminum since 1978 and has a skilled work force. Flávia Maria G.B. de Barros is the director of the Offshore Department in the shipyard that her parents, Gil and Elisa Bezerra founded 43 years ago. Over the four decade history the yard has built over 500 fishing boats and expanded into patrol vessels, tugs, including a recently delivered Robert Allan-designed docking tug and large yachts. Today the yard is well equipped with a number of covered building sheds, ample storage and repair space and a large synchro-lift dock. In August there were a total of 18 vessels under construction.

Flávia Maria explains that the yard continues to grow its expertise. “When we came to the offshore business we had experience building high performance vessels for the navy and large yachts. Performance was important but they were not so worried about delivery schedules. Charterers with Petrobrás include penalties for start dates and clients can loose charter money. The classification for offshore boats is extremely rigid and the boat has to be more perfect as it will work every day. But in two or three years we will be even more firmly established as a leading builder for the off shore industry.”

The construction of a pair of the state of the art GPA fast supply vessels is a good start to that claim.

For further information:

Flávia Maria G. B. de Barros
Offshore Department Director
Inace Shipyard
Av. Beira Mar, 100
Praia de Iracema. Cep: 60060-610
Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
Brazil
Phone: 55 85 3455-1800
Fax: 55 85 3231-9110
E-Mail: flavia@inace.com.br
Web: www.inace.com.br

José Luiz Miranda Junior
Operational Leader
DCDN
Fortaleza, Brazil
Phone: 55 85 4011 6400
Web: www.dcdn.com.br

Waldemar Marchetti
Marine Business Manager
South America and Mexico
São Paulo, Brazil
Phone: 5511 2186 4778
E-mail: waldemar.m.sobrinho@cummins.com