This all aluminium crew-boat, today called FSIV, Fast Supply & Intervention Vessel is the first of a series of three vessels, ordered by ABCmaritime, Nyon, Switzerland. The KACEY was constructed by SEAS, South East Asia Shipyard, Ben Luc, Vietnam, a shipyard belonging to the Piriou Group of Shipbuilders in Concarneau, France. The shipyard is located at the outskirts of Ho-Chi-Minh-City (Saigon) and is led by French key personnel.
Originally it was intended to register the KACEY under the flag of Malta, however due to some technical reasons this was not possible and finally she was registered under the flag of St. Vincent and the Grenadines with home port Kingstown. After her delivery on 23.05.2014 she sailed to Singapore to take on some stores, then she left for West Africa, calling on the way in Colombo, Mauritius and Cape Town for bunkers.
The crew consists of a French captain and chief engineer and 8 seamen from the Philippines (at least until arrival West Africa).
After the KACEY remained for about two months in West Africa, she sailed via Abidjan and the Cabo Verde Islands to Venezuela to commence a long time charter. She works from Puerto Guaranao (Punto Fijo, in the West of Venezuela), supplying the jack-up rig WEST FREEDOM (Seadrill Ltd. London) in the Perla gas field (AGIP and Repsol). The master and the chief engineer are ABC-men, the rest of the crew are local seamen.
SwissShips, HPS, July 2014
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Some technical details
The complete vessel, hull and superstructure was built of aluminium, as with reduced weight more speed can be achieved. The unusual bow is designed to cut through the waves, however in a seaway the boat is still rolling. The propulsion of the boat is by 4 high-speed diesel engines, each driving a steerable water jet unit. Further two electrically driven bow thrusters are installed. Four diesel generators supply the electrical power for the bow thrusters and for the other needs of the ship.
In order to facilitate cargo work next to an oil platform at sea, the vessel has a dynamic positioning system (DP class 2), were a computer controls the water jet units and the bow thrusters, keeping the vessel on station within 1 or 2 meters.
To extinguish external fires (for example on an oil rig or another ship) the KACEY is equipped with a fire fighting system (FiFi class I), consisting of one fire monitor on each side on the stern, each having a capacity of 1200 m3/hr and one fire pump of 2400 m3/hr capacity. The length of the water jet has to be 120 m and has to reach a height of 45 m.
The vessel can carry cargo and passengers. The cargo is carried on the large cargo deck, maximum capacity is about 226 tonnes. A total of 48 day-passengers can travel in inclining seats, located in a cabin furnished with TV and video. Additionally 12 people can stay on board in 4 single berth cabins and in 4 double berths cabins.
.SwissShips, HPS, July 2014