This self-propelled accommodation & work barge RIO DEL REY was built in the Gelibolu Shipyard S.A., Gelibolu, Turkey, hull No.: 040 and is the second unit in a series of 3 vessels (first barge is the ELISA and the 3rd one the MAGDA). The first steel cutting commenced on 29.11.2007 and the launching was on 28.09.2008.
Originally it was intended to call the barge ELISA 2, but during construction she was sold to SNH (Société Nationale des Hydrocarbures), the national oil company of Cameroon and therefore she was named RIO DEL REY, according to the estuary of the river Rio del Rey and oil field of the same name, situated on the Western boarder of Cameroon towards Nigeria. The technical management remains with ABCmaritime.
The RIO DEL REY was registered on 07.01.2009 under the flag of St. Vincent and The Grenadines (IMO No.: 9480681, official No.: 10500, call sign: J8B4027) and she sailed on 28.04.2009 from the builder's yard to Douala, Cameroon with one short call made in Gibraltar.
The dimensions of the barge are 70.0 m long, 20.0 m beam, 4.3 m deep with a draft of 2.5 m when fully loaded. She has a lightweight of approx. 1994 metric tonnes and a deadweight of about 830 metric tonnes. A helicopter landing pad was fitted on top of the accommodation block, this, together with the increased accommodations are the two major differences, compared to the ELISA, the first unit.
The RIO DEL REY has a diesel-electric propulsion plant with 2 electric azimuth thrusters at the stern, made by Schottel, Germany, giving a power of 525 kW each. A tunnel thruster of 270 kW is fitted on the bow. Four diesel generator sets, manufactured by Moteurs Bauduoin, Marseille, type: M26SR, supply the electrical power (A.C. 3-phase, 400/230V, 50Hz) for the propulsion and the barge's hotel and ancillary requirements. Each set produces 571 kW.
The barge has an 8-point mooring system, each Flipper-delta anchor has a weight of 5.5 metric tonnes and each anchor wire has a diameter of 38 mm, is 1600 m long and has a weight of about 9.0 metric tonnes. A crane with a lifting capacity of 10.0 metric tonnes is installed on the starboard side of the work deck.
The RIO DEL REY offers accommodations for a total of 132 persons, including marine and catering crew. The marine crew consists normally of about 12 persons.
After her arrival in Douala, on 06.06.2009 and a few days in port for mobilisation the RIO DEL REY sailed to the oil field of Rio del Rey to take up her duties.
Registered in Douala in February 2010. The new callsign is: TJNH2. The management remains with ABCmaritime AG, Nyon.