October 15, 2011

EASTPROJECT features in "Oil & Gas Agenda"

"Comprehensive turnkey vessel design"

Eastproject is a turnkey design and engineering company that operates in the marine and offshore vessels field. The firm is a competent and flexible organisation covering all areas from naval architecture to structural and mechanical electrical engineering. Its highly professional workforce can propose up-to-date design projects, incorporating the latest technological innovations. Eastproject is able to carry out and develop a project from feasibility studies up to commissioning and operation, including searching technology and special equipment. The company operates globally, with customers including shipyards, offshore companies, ship owners and operators and suppliers of marine equipment, systems and services.

Record-breaking project
One of its recent projects is a 1,000t crane pipe-laying construction barge for a South East Asian contractor, built in Singapore and intended for operations in the Caspian Sea, where it was delivered on May 2010. The vessel was fully designed by Eastproject, while the supply of detailed drawings, including the joining procedure, was carried out in cooperation with a Ukrainian engineering partner. The project was completed in 22 months, a record-breaking time considering its complexity. The vessel was built in a Singapore shipyard, cut in two halves and transported to the Azov Sea. From there, it was towed through the Volga Don inland waterway system to Azerbaijan where the two halves were rejoined and the barge outfitted. Eastproject provided full construction assistance including the joining procedure and sea trial pipelaying equipment. Eastproject also undertakes advanced projects. For over five years the company has worked on an innovative modular vessel for which a patent licence was deposited in the US. This innovative modular vessel will be able to operate in the offshore drilling sector, the deepwater flexible pipelaying sector and as a construction vessel. This is due to the possibility of a flexible change of the barge module inside a mother dock vessel so that the vessel spread will be able to operate, in DP3, in the following range of modes, according to the characteristics of the particular self-contained unit:
■ dock cargo
■ heavy lift submerged operation
■ diving construction/ROV mode
■ deep water heavy lift support mode
■ flexible pipelaying mode
■ J-laying 36m pipe section mode
■ drilling operation mode: for drilling and heavy lift operations in water depths up to 1,200m
■ drilling tender mode.

Innovative ideals
In the last six years Eastproject has studied the shallow water operation aspects of the Caspian Sea, researching vessels capable of working with a very low draft. Based on its findings, the company has developed an air cushion pipelaying support barge concept. Using its existing air cushion technology, Eastproject, in a joint venture with Hovertrans Solutions, developed a pipelaying hoverbarge that is able to lay steel pipes and flexible hoses with a considerable daily production. Eastproject has also studied all support spread manoeuvring in very shallow water and swamp conditions that no other equipment can cover. The firm's range of activities include projects not strictly relevant to the offshore sector, including the Escort Tug, a DP2 supply vessel and 90m ferry fed by LNG to comply with new emission rules. Eastproject was established in 1994. Born from previous experiences and the strong passion of owner Sandro Foce, the company uses a mix of experienced professionals and young people to give it a flexible and dynamic outlook. The atmosphere is that of a place where the work encompasses travel, culture, curiosity, enthusiasm and passion.