Just recently, the world’s most advanced subsea cable installation and trenching vessel, “LIVING STONE” was delivered to Dutch shipowners Tidewater, part of the Belgian DEME Group and at the same time South Shields, UK based, Solar Solve Marine were sending 52 of their Type Approved SOLASAFE window blinds for boats to their World Wide Distributor in Spain, for installation at the vessel’s navigation bridge windows.
Belgian dredging, hydraulic engineering and environmental group DEME excels in highly specialist and complex hydraulic disciplines and owns one of the most modern, high-tech and versatile fleets for the purpose.
“LIVING STONE” will be an important addition to their fleet and was built by La Naval, a private shipyard very experienced in the design and construction of sophisticated ships, located near Bilbao in Northern Spain. A 13,815 dwt cable layer, ‘Living Stone’ features DP3 (‘dynamic positioning 3’) capability and has been designed as an environmentally friendly vessel with dual fuel engines and LNG as the primary fuel. It will be equipped with a fall-pipe and rock installation system as well as cable/umbilical loading & installation facilities with subsea construction capabilities.
Initially “LIVING STONE” will be serving transport and installation projects as well as offshore power cable installations and interconnectors for the future European Supergrid, a task that is currently underway in western European waters at the height of summer. Fortunately with 52 SOLASAFE window blinds for boats in use at the wheelhouse windows, the ship’s crew will be well protected from the sun’s heat, glare and ultra violet light emissions, creating safer and more comfortable working conditions for them.
