Adrianus

Originally built as a commercial fishing vessel in 1996, Adrianus was later acquired by Bass Marine and partially equipped and refitted to enable it to be used in offshore service / work boat roles.

This included the vessel spending more than 13 years providing platform supply and standby vessel services to the Cliff Head Alpha platform off the Western Australian coast before coming off charter in 2019. This break enabled Bass Marine to undertake a long-planned, and very significant, program of vessel refit and modification works.

Dongara Marine was selected to carry out the works, at least in part due to the success of other work the company undertook previously for Bass Marine, in particular the construction of its multipurpose vessel Poppa G and refit of Optimus 1000, which is owned by an affiliated company.

Although Adrianus was originally designed by Gavin Mair Marine Design / Global Marine Designs, Bass Marine selected Southerly Designs to significantly redesign the vessel to significantly increase its capacity.

In developing these modifications, Southerly Designs, Bass Marine, Dongara Marine, and AMSA-certified surveyor (Nick Martin, Domestic Commercial Vessel Services) worked collaboratively to ensure modifications could be implemented cost effectively and without triggering significant flow on effects from a vessel survey / regulatory standpoint.

As well as addressing wear and tear, Dongara Marine’s scope of work resulted in significantly increased vessel operating capability and flexibility. Primary works included:

• Completely stripping the vessel of equipment and coatings (to bare metal)
• Removal of the legacy 36.3 cubic metre refrigerated insulated fish hold including insulation that was originally sprayed onto, and adhered to, the vessel structure
• Removal of the open upper deck flybridge, and the manufacture, installation, and fitout of a large, new fully enclosed raised wheelhouse to replace it. This wheelhouse incorporates helm station, office / work areas, and mini-galley
• Refit and reconfiguration of the entire main deck wheelhouse / cabin. This included removal of the former helm station; new larger mess and galley areas; extending the cabin aft; fitting new laundry and bathroom spaces, a new deck store as well as new access stairs to the lower deck
• Refit of the existing lower accommodation and the design, manufacture, and fitout of four completely new cabins in the volume formerly occupied by the fish hold
• A full vessel electrical rewire to meet current regulatory requirements and system requirements. This included installation of new generators
• Remove and later re-install propulsion plant (main engines, gearboxes, shafts)
• Repaint / recoat the entire vessel inside and out
• Structural repairs and modifications including raising the gunwale height and modifying the aft flybridge area to include a large removable section that facilitates lifting of oversize items from main deck
• Installation of new deck equipment and associated foundations. This included a transom mounted A-frame for lifting, two deck cranes, and two deck winches
• Adding / replacing fendering including a new personnel transfer platform at the bow
• Replacement of all deck hatches
• Installation of new heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and desalination systems
• Installation of a moonpool through hull
• Vessel lift and re-launch
• All survey requirements

As part of the refit, our usual supply and installation partner Geraldton Marine Electronics equipped Adrianus with a complete new suite of navigation electronics, communications and vessel monitoring equipment.

At the heart of the navigation system is Timezero Professional PC based plotting software with the Furuno DRS25A X-Class radar networked into Timezero for radar overlay. For echo sounding Adrianus features a Furuno FCV-1150 with heave and pitch/roll compensation data supplied by a Furuno SCX-21 quad antenna satellite compass that also provides accurate and high speed position and heading data to the Timezero computer.

Geraldton Marine Electronics also supplied and equipped Adrianus with a Maretron system providing tank level and electrical supply monitoring; high level and open door alarms; and digital switching such as pump control and lighting. All the Maretron functionality is interfaced to a single touch screen display to safely and conveniently monitor and control parts of the vessel.

Steering is toggled by Simrad Joysticks and FU80 controllers at the vessel’s port, starboard, and rear helm stations and autopilot is available via the Simrad AP70.

The vessel also features an 11 camera CCTV system, satellite TV, loudhailer/intercom system, satellite phone and Cel-Fi Mobile phone booster.

Post completion, Adrianus was quickly back into service demonstrating its multipurpose capability by undertaking a variety of roles including ocean towing, supplies transfer, and research surveys. These involved, for example, deploying stereo imaging systems in the Abrolhos Marine Park; and baited and non-baited drop cameras in waters up to 400 metres deep in the Ningaloo Marine Park.