“The idea of a new type of super vessel had been pitched off and on within Dockwise before certain projects necessitated a serious brainstorm meeting at the beginning of 2010,” according to Seij. When the bowless design idea was dropped with Deltamarin’s designers in Finland in 2010, the very first drawings of the Dockwise Vanguard were produced with Michel Seij and Rob Strijland present during the brainstorm meeting in Helsinki. A bowless design means that the crew’s accommodation would have to be built on the extreme starboard side of the vessel together with the lifeboats structure. “The design allows for large amounts of water to flow along the entire deck of the vessel without there being any chance of water entering the confines of the Dockwise Vanguard,” Seij explains. In short, in spite of the absence of a bow, the vessel and its crew are safe. Given that safety is high on Dockwise’s agenda, a bulwark (a raised portion on a ship’s deck designed to serve as a barrier) is included in the design in order to ensure future crews’ safety.

bowless innovation
The Dockwise Vanguard’s bowless design was put before Det Norske Veritas (“DNV”) for classification and approval as well as to the Netherlands’ government Transport and Water Management Inspectorate for registration. Their willing cooperation and experience respectively proved invaluable for Dockwise’s new super vessel design. The Dockwise Vanguard has been classified with a heavy lift ship notation. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), will, in turn, be informed by DNV of the vessel’s specifics. DNV remains involved with the Dockwise Vanguard’s construction and progress until Hyundai Heavy Industries delivers the vessel in the fourth quarter of 2012.

From Type 0 to Dockwise Vanguard
After an extensive tendering process that saw 10 shipbuilders being invited to submit their proposals, three yards ended up on the shortlist. Hyundai Heavy Industries ultimately walked away with “first prize” and will deliver the new vessel in the fourth quarter of 2012. Much is expected of the Dockwise Vanguard, and given the fact that its capabilities has resulted in Chevron entrusting the transport of its Jack & St. Malo hull to our new addition, underlines that Dockwise’s engineering ingenuity, coupled with industry-accepted safety features, knows no bounds.

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