DARK & STORMY

 Not Like the Name Suggests

The latest addition to the South Sea Logistics (SSL) fleet, the 12.5m Dark & Stormy, will hit the water late April 2010 after receiving a major refit and fabrication works for the last 3 months.

The Dark & Stormy has undergone major works and structural changes from it’s team of in-house fabricators to be compliant with Department of Transport Western Australia (DOTWA) survey requirements that will see Dark & Stormy being in a 2B passenger survey class. As well as being compliant with a 2B class, she is ahead of the game and is also Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) environmental compliant that will be brought in and enforced from June 2010.

The vessel will be used for a variety of roles within the company such as high speed crew transfer, dive/salvage operations, fast rescue, she will also be the support vessel to assist in any roles that SSL will undertake with their mini Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV).

Dark and Stormy has a maximum length of 12.5m, a beam of 4.5m and a draft of 0.55m, she is fitted out with a 60 series Detroit Diesel, this produces 800hp, is coupled through a ZF gearbox and linked to 402 Hamilton Jet which is the latest version of the 391; this pushes her along at 22kts cruising at 2000rpm and a max speed of 30kts at 2250rpm.

Being a single jet, she has been fitted out with a stern facing steering station and a 30hp bow thruster that will provide Dark & Stormy with truly exceptional all round visibility and manoeuvrability which makes her ideally suited for close quarters work normally associated with harbour works and the like.

She is compliant to carry a compliant of 2 crew and 14 passengers in comfort and within the air-conditioned wheelhouse or aft on the large working deck are not normally associated with a vessel of this size.

Jerram Hill, Fleet Manager of SSL said, “All the team pulled together and have done an exceptional job in fitting out this vessel, once it hits the water it will undertake it’s variety roles with absolute ease, I’m looking forward to getting behind the helm myself!”

For any more information about the Dark & Stormy or any other vessel within the South Sea Logistics fleet, please contact our office Head Quarters on (08) 9964 8566.