September 10 - OSD-IMT, a division of Netherlands-based Offshore Ship Designers, has secured a design contract for two IMT 965 seismic support vessels for China Oilfield Service Ltd (COSL), Beijing.

The vessels, with a deadweight of 1,800 tonnes and a bollard pull in excess of 50 tonnes, are designed to provide a range of support activities to larger seismic vessels. Capable of carrying 980 cu m of cargo oil, fuel can be pumped to the mother ship from a deck-mounted fuel supply module located on the working deck of the IMT 965, with up to 500 cu m of fresh water available for supply in a similar way.80 cu m of cold stores and dry provisions can be accessed directly from the working deck of the vessel, either by the ship's crane of a crane mounted on the mother ship.The IMT 965s's activities also include keeping passing vessels clear of the streamer arrays and ensuring that there is a traffic-free area ahead of the mother ship. The main IMT 965 propulsion arrangement is a hybrid system, comprising of twin propellers, each driven by a medium-speed diesel engine. A PTO/PTI alternator/motor is connected to each main gearbox with two 360 kW diesel generators also provided.The vessels offer accommodation for a total of 48 persons, including cabins for mother ship relief personnel.www.offshoreshipdesigners.com