Offshore support vessels are as integral to any shipping operation as the main ships or vessels themselves. They provide many amenities and advantages, and they are very important in different aspects of the shipping industry. There are many new technologies that have developed the role of the offshore support vessel and have thus made operational processes in water easier and more efficient.

There are a variety of offshore support vessels; namely, these are platform supply vessels, anchor handling tug vessels, accommodation ships, and seismic vessels.

There is a lot of technology that goes together with the development of the specialized vessels and yachts with new classes being built each year. The good intervention vessel is an example of this. “Being just recently introduced, its job is to support oil operations and engage in repair work for oil recovery – which is an important aspect of the oil industry?” says Brian from yacht registration malta maritime hub.

Over the past decade, the overall trend in the development of offshore support vessels has been in the direction of newer sophisticated vehicles capable of handling complicated operations even in the most treacherous waters. They are also being built to be bigger and more powerful than ever before.

Goodbye Smaller and Older Vessels?

The industry is still controlled by older vessels that are smaller than their newer counterparts. However, we have been seeing trends in offshore support vessels with better bollard pull, better propulsion systems resulting in faster ships and winches that can really handle heavier loads.

In fact, offshore support vessels have become bigger over time says Albert, the agent at HMS Broker.  For examples, accommodation barges that are primarily used to accommodate crewmembers can now hold up to 500 crewmembers, this also results in an increased crane size and better pipe laying capabilities. Crane barges are also the beneficiary of these new improvements as they can now support heavier loads.

Anchor Handling Tug Supply boats and Anchor Handling Tugs are benefitting from the latest advancements in their powerhouses and better dynamic positioning capabilities. The old-fashioned harbor tug is now built to be bigger with no compromise in maneuverability.

Newer Platform Supply Vessels are now built with firefighting capabilities making the transport of dry and wet cargo for platforms considerably safer than they used to be. This is the same story for dive support vessels that handle subsea repair and maintenance activities. Not only do they have all the new functionalities of the above, but also offer more room for a larger accommodation of crewmembers.

Utility vessels, on the other hand, are now much more powerfully agile.  These vessels are usually utilized to support constructions projects being staged offshore and move around necessary equipment. Newer models are now built with better bhp resulting in better performance on the water.

The Importance of the Advancements and OSVs

There is a lot of technology that goes behind every single sea operation and offshore support vessels play a critical part. They assist in transportation, providing adequate supplies and providing the necessary requirements a mission needs.

It is no surprise that advancements from better navigation to better capabilities are growing in the offshore supply vessel industry. Oil exploration and the various necessities that come with it are also fueling the development of vessels that can better support these expeditions.

What Does the Future Hold?

It seems like the trend towards more technologically advances offshore support vessels will be constantly on the rise with advancements in powerhouses and other abilities. They are being built to be bigger, much more advanced and dynamically more suitable to the multitude of conditions that can arise during any sea operation.  Nowadays we are not just talking about who can build more powerful winches. The market for OSVs being built, bought or chartered is definitely expanding.

We should expect to see bigger and better support vessels that can handle anything whilst being surprisingly quick and nimble enough to maneuver the grueling life on the water.