Herman Senior has reached an important construction milestone with the keel laying of its new DP2 Multi-Purpose Vessel (MPV) Smokey at the Albwardy Damen shipyard in the United Arab Emirates.

In accordance with maritime tradition, two coins were welded onto the keel by owners Chris van Dodewaard and Erwin van Dodewaard. Reflecting both the vessel’s Dutch heritage and the location of her construction, the selected coins were an original Dutch Rijksdaalder and a United Arab Emirates Dirham.

The keel laying marks the formal start of physical construction and is regarded as one of the most significant stages in a vessel’s lifecycle. For Herman Senior, this milestone underscores the company’s continued investment in modern, high-specification workboats for offshore and renewable energy operations.

MPV Smokey is being developed as a highly versatile offshore platform. In addition to DP2 dynamic positioning, the vessel will be equipped with a 4-point mooring system and spud poles, allowing for flexible and efficient station keeping across a wide range of operational environments. The vessel is designed in compliance with the SPS Code and will feature an active heave compensated crane, enabling safe and precise lifting operations in challenging offshore conditions. Furthermore, Smokey will be fitted with a FiFi fire-fighting system, enhancing her capabilities for emergency response and safety support roles.

Accommodation will be provided for up to 34 personnel, supporting multi-disciplinary project teams and extended offshore deployments. The overall design places strong emphasis on operational efficiency, safety and reliability, aligning with the evolving demands of offshore energy and renewable projects.

Construction will continue at Albwardy Damen, with delivery scheduled for April 2027. Upon completion, MPV Smokey will further strengthen Herman Senior’s fleet and expand its capacity to execute complex offshore projects worldwide.

Further technical details and specifications of MPV Smokey are available at:

https://hermansr.com/mpv-smoke/