Floating Production Storage and Offloading units — FPSOs — present a specific and persistent solar protection challenge that differs from most other offshore vessel applications. Stationed above a production field for extended periods, an FPSO receives sustained solar exposure from a relatively consistent direction throughout the operational campaign. The navigation bridge and control areas face the same glare conditions repeatedly, day after day, for as long as the vessel remains on station.
Solar Solve Marine supplied six SOLASAFE® Type Approved anti-glare sunscreens to the Bluewater Energy Services FPSO Hæwene Brim, fitted to the navigation bridge windows. The vessel operates in the Shell-operated Pierce field on the UK Continental Shelf, one of the UK’s established oil and gas producing areas.
The Vessel — Hæwene Brim, Bluewater Energy Services
The Hæwene Brim is a dual-purpose offshore vessel that operates primarily as a Floating Production Storage and Offloading unit and can also function as a Multipurpose Shuttle Tanker when required. The vessel was constructed at Odense Shipyard in Denmark in 1983 and was acquired by Bluewater Energy Services in October 2001. Since February 1999 it has been producing in the Shell-operated Pierce field on the UK Continental Shelf.
The Shell Pierce field is located in the central North Sea, a region characterised by the low sun angles and persistent glare conditions that are a consistent feature of offshore operations in northern latitudes. For an FPSO stationed above a field rather than on passage, these conditions are not transient. They are a permanent aspect of the working environment for everyone on the navigation bridge.
“A vessel like an FPSO can, by its very nature, spend a lot of time in fixed positions carrying out its duties. This often means that the sun can be a real problem if it is in the direct line of the crew’s vision on the navigation bridge. The Hæwene Brim has chosen SOLASOLV® sunscreens to prevent excessive glare on the bridge.”
— Paul Hopkins, Sales and Marketing Executive, Solar Solve Marine
Why FPSOs Need Specialist Navigation Bridge Solar Protection
The solar protection requirement for an FPSO navigation bridge has characteristics that make it more demanding than the equivalent requirement on a transiting vessel:
Fixed-position solar exposure
A vessel on a passage route experiences a changing sun angle relative to the bridge throughout the voyage as the vessel’s heading and the sun’s position shift. An FPSO stationed above a field in a fixed mooring heading receives sustained solar exposure from the same direction across the operational day and across successive days in the same season. Bridge officers and control room personnel face the same glare pattern repeatedly with no change of heading to provide relief.
Extended deployment and crew fatigue
FPSO production campaigns can last months or years in the same location. The cumulative effect of repeated solar exposure on navigation bridge personnel during long offshore rotations is significant. Eye strain, thermal discomfort from solar heat gain, and UV exposure all accumulate across a deployment in a way that has a measurable effect on alertness and performance during critical operational periods.
Control room operations alongside navigation
An FPSO bridge and control room environment integrates navigation functions with production monitoring and offloading coordination. Personnel working in these areas rely on clear display screen readability as well as outward visibility. Solar glare that washes out bridge equipment displays or raises the control room temperature affects both navigation safety and production operations simultaneously.
SOLASOLV® Performance for FPSO Navigation Bridge Windows
Six SOLASAFE® cassette-mounted sunscreens were supplied for the Hæwene Brim navigation bridge. SOLASOLV® screens address all three components of solar exposure affecting FPSO bridge and control room performance simultaneously:
| Performance Measure | Rating | FPSO Operational Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Solar glare reduction | Up to 93% | Eliminates the persistent glare from fixed-position solar exposure, improving bridge equipment display readability and navigation visibility throughout the operational day |
| Solar heat rejection | Up to 87% | Reduces bridge and control room temperature during extended production campaigns, lowering cooling demand and improving thermal comfort for personnel on long offshore rotations |
| UV light rejection | Up to 99% | Protects bridge and control room personnel from cumulative UV exposure during extended offshore deployments in the North Sea and internationally |
| Outward visibility | Fully maintained | Officers of the watch retain a completely clear, undistorted view through the navigation bridge windows at all times, even when the screens are fully deployed |
SOLASOLV® screens hold Type Approval from Lloyd’s Register, DNV, ABS, and RINA simultaneously. For offshore energy sector procurement teams, DNV Type Approval — awarded to SOLASOLV® in July 2002 — is the most relevant certification for vessels classed by DNV operating in the North Sea and offshore energy environments. All four Type Approval certificates are available from the Solar Solve downloads page.
SOLASOLV® in the Offshore Energy Sector
The Hæwene Brim installation is one example of Solar Solve’s supply to the offshore energy sector. SOLASOLV® screens and ROLASOLV® blinds have been supplied to the full range of offshore vessel types operating in the North Sea, the UK Continental Shelf, the Norwegian Continental Shelf, and internationally:
- Offshore construction vessels and pipe lay vessels
- Platform supply vessels (PSVs) and anchor handling tug supply vessels (AHTS)
- Drillships and semi-submersibles
- FPSOs and floating storage units
- Diving support vessels
- Offshore wind crew transfer vessels
- Offshore crane installations in the Middle East and North Sea
Solar Solve Marine is based in South Shields on the River Tyne, at the heart of the UK offshore industry supply chain. For more information on SOLASOLV® products for the offshore sector, visit the offshore sector page. For the full range of offshore and marine case studies, visit the Solar Solve case studies page.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an FPSO and why does it need anti-glare screens?
An FPSO — Floating Production Storage and Offloading unit — is a type of offshore vessel used in oil and gas production to process hydrocarbons from subsea fields, store the product, and offload it to shuttle tankers. FPSOs are typically stationed at fixed positions above a field for extended periods, meaning the navigation bridge faces sustained solar glare and heat from the same direction throughout long production campaigns. SOLASOLV® anti-glare screens reduce solar glare by up to 93% and heat by up to 87% while maintaining a completely clear outward view at all times.
Are SOLASOLV® screens Type Approved for FPSO applications?
Yes. SOLASOLV® screens hold Type Approval from Lloyd’s Register, DNV, ABS, and RINA simultaneously — the only marine anti-glare screen in the world to hold all four at the same time. This makes SOLASOLV® screens suitable for FPSOs operating under any classification society or flag state, including vessels classed by DNV, which is the benchmark classification society for the offshore and energy sector.
Has Solar Solve supplied SOLASOLV® screens to FPSO vessels?
Yes. Solar Solve supplied six SOLASAFE® navigation bridge sunscreens to the Hæwene Brim, a Bluewater Energy Services FPSO operating in the Shell Pierce field on the UK Continental Shelf. Solar Solve has supplied screens to offshore vessels across the energy sector including FPSOs, platform supply vessels, offshore construction vessels, and crane installations internationally.
What SOLASOLV® products are suitable for an FPSO navigation bridge?
SOLASAFE® cassette-mounted anti-glare screens are the preferred specification for FPSO navigation bridge windows. The self-contained cassette housing encloses the screen material when retracted, protecting it in the offshore marine environment. SOLAROLA® non-cassette screens are also available for FPSO applications where a simpler installation format is required.
Why do FPSO navigation bridges have a persistent solar glare problem?
Unlike vessels on passage routes where the sun angle relative to the bridge changes throughout the voyage, an FPSO stationed above a production field receives solar exposure from a relatively consistent direction across the operational day during fixed-position production campaigns. This means the navigation bridge windows face the same glare pattern repeatedly, making effective solar protection a more persistent requirement than on transiting vessels.
