Converted Sophie laying its first cable in Puget Sound

Project Summary

The 276 TEU container vessel Sophie was temporarily converted into a DP cable laying vessel, by adding thrusters, turntable, cable laying equipment, and accommodation and office containers. Argonautics Marine Engineering was hired to assist with some of the work associated with this conversion. The vessel's original hard copy stability booklet was converted into an electronic version, after which the impact of the lightship changes could be incorporated and the various cable load cases could be calculated and checked against the Statutory stability criteria. The fully loaded turntable required extensive hatch reinforcements and seafastenings. In September of 2005, the converted Sophie successfully laid its first cable off McNeil Island in Puget Sound, WA.

Scope of Work

The project scope included:

• Stability calculations for the various stages of the voyages and operations;

• Seafastening calculations for the turntable;

• Check vessel frame subject to high pillar loads from the loaded turntable.

Acknowledgement

Photograph courtesy of Trinav Shipping (B.C.) Ltd.