Grand Canyon completes sea trials

Vessel & ROV News - October 22, 2012

Grand Canyon recently completed sea trials (photo: Helix ESG).

Helix Energy Solutions Group's newbuild charter ROV support vessel, Grand Canyon, recently completed sea trials and is ready to begin operations in the North Sea. During the sea trials the vessel's propulsion system, dynamic positioning system and all her cranes were tested.

The vessel recently completed its outfitting in Norway after the initial hull construction was completed in Turkey. Grand Canyon is capable of launching five ROVs at once and will be operated by Helix ESG's robotics subsidiary, Canyon Offshore.

The vessel will be the new home for another recently completed asset, the T1200 trenching unit. Used primarily to bury large diameter power cables leading from offshore windfarms, the T1200 is also capable of working on oil and gas projects to bury production pipelines.

Grand Canyon was designed to provide a high capacity, stable working platform for lay, burial and general offshore construction work while still retaining a shallow draft, which is crucial when operating close to the coastline, and common in the renewable energy sector. Grand Canyon's DP3 capability allows her to operate in any sector, providing offshore support in a wide variety of roles.

The vessel's deck structure is specifically designed to accept trenching and flexible pipe or cable lay systems for safe and efficient mobilizations. A key focus throughout the design and build of Grand Canyon was to optimize the vessel and equipment design to facilitate efficient mobilizations.

The vessel was designed by Skipsteknisk in Norway, is owned by Volstad Maritime in Norway and was built at Bergen Group's Fosen shipyard.