{mprestriction ids="1,2"}The project is part of the Norwegian Government’s innovation programme MAROFF (Maritime Activities and Offshore Operations).

Accessing any fixed or floating offshore structure via a vessel can be complicated due to the movement against the structure, with weather conditions adding to the complexity. Gangways eliminate the need to use ladders but require that the distance between vessel and structure is within the operational limit of the telescope on the gangway.

Positioning equipment can be used to keep the vessel and structure within operational limits, but with gangway connection and disconnection operations performed relatively rarely, crew training is not always as up to date as one might like.

To combat this, the new R&D project will aim to develop solutions formulated from the collection and analysis of operational data from Kongsberg Maritime’s Dynamic Positioning (DP) controller used in the operation of Østensjo’s new generation accommodation vessel, Edda Fortis.

This will involve performance of simulation studies using the SIMO simulation tool package and data manipulation via Kongsberg Maritime’s DP algorithms. In addition, a tailor-made simulation software system for crew training on critical operations, incidents and planned operations preparation will be developed.

Sensor data will be interfaced to Kongsberg’s DP system to simulate the compensation of the motion between the rig and the accommodation vessel, with that data then used to adjust the DP control strategy on board with the aim of extending the operational window defined for gangway operation.

“We are enthusiastic about taking part in this advanced R&D project,” explained Terje Heierstad, global product manager, Kongsberg Maritime Simulation.

“The accurate full scale data from the accommodation vessel will be used to improve, update and tune the simulator models to an extreme level of accuracy, which is important when training for operations with high safety requirements and small risk margins.”{/mprestriction}