“Multi Functional Vessel Concept” The development of a versatile platform for navigational support and pollution control duties

As the world economy keeps growing so does the shipping trade. The increase is not only in the amount of goods and vessels, but also in the sizes and speed of the ships. Ports and national authorities have the obligation to ensure safe passages through their waters. Proper indication of safe shipping routes and proper charting of waters are necessary to minimise the risk of injury to crews and damages to ships and cargo’s through groundings and collisions. These accidents or the results of these accidents can also have an impact on nature, a sensitive matter for most countries. This safeguarding of man, materials and nature means a necessity for patrol-, search and rescue-, buoy laying-, hydrographical research-, oil recovery-, fire fighting- and salvage vessels. For many ports and authorities, it is not always operationally en financially possible to have a fleet of single task vessels. In order to minimise the costs for port and national authorities, Damen started a product development program for a new type of vessel, in which the specific requirements for all tasks are combined. Over the years Damen gained a considerable experience with all of the mentioned types of vessels. Combined with extensive research and design work the performance of the created Multi Functional Vessel concept was optimised. The end result is a series of designs, all of different size to suit as many customers as possible. This paper will look into how Damen, by combining modern design technology and modern equipment, created the Multi Functional Vessel Concept.