First Deep Sea Mining Production Vessel Launched in China – gCaptain
▻http://gcaptain.com/first-deep-sea-mining-production-vessel-launched-in-china
Toronto-based Nautilus Minerals Inc. has announced that its newbuild deep sea mining production support vessel has been launched at the Mawei shipyard in China.
The vessel, named Nautilus New Era, will be used by Nautilus and its partner, Eda Kopa (Solwara) Limited, to mine for gold and copper at the Solwara 1 Project site in the Bismarck Sea of Papua New Guinea.
[…]
The Production Support Vessel (PSV), which Nautilus will charter from Dubai-based Marine Assets Corporation for a minimum period of 5 years, will be equipped with a dynamic positioning system which will provide a stable platform for deepsea mining operations irrespective of wind and wave conditions.
The PSV will be equipped with a moonpool through which the Subsea Slurry and Lift Pump (SSLP) and riser system can be deployed. On deck, the slurry will be dewatered and the solid material will be stored temporarily in the PSV’s hull, and then discharged to a transportation vessel moored alongside. Filtered seawater is then pumped back to the seafloor through the riser pipes.
When completed, the PSV will measure 227 meters in length and 40 meters in width with accommodation for up to 180 people and generate approximately 31MW of power.
Final delivery of the vessel is scheduled for March 31, 2019.