"Ramform Titan", a milestone in the history of the port of Tenerife

After nearly two months at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, on Friday, November 19, the seismic vessel "Ramform Titan" set sail for Malta. Its presence, due to its striking maritime appearance, did not go unnoticed, and during its stay, it changed berths three times – southern dock, Los Llanos dock, and riverside dock – engaged in maintenance and preparation work. In the magnificent photographic report by our collaborator Jorge Santaella, we see the sequence of the maneuver to leave the Tenerife port.

The aforementioned vessel is owned by the Norwegian company Petroleum Geo-Services (PGS), based in Oslo. It is the first of a series of four sister ships of Nordic design, intended to assess the possibilities of locating oil and natural gas.

In 2011, PGS contracted with the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries shipyard, at its factory in Nagasaki, for the construction of four seismic vessels, the first of which, which is the one we are discussing, was delivered in April 2013. The second vessel is named "Ramform Atlas" and entered service in 2014. The third is called "Ramform Tethys" and the fourth, scheduled for 2017, will be named "Ramform Hyperion".

The shape of the vessel makes it very striking. It measures 104.20 m in length and 70 m in width, and therein lies the most characteristic aspect of its exterior. From the stern, up to 24 fiber cables are deployed, forming a survey mesh capable of covering 12 kilometers equipped with chips inside that measure the echo of compressed air explosions.

From the data obtained, the density of the seabed can be determined as it passes. Control is exercised from the bridge using electronic systems and dynamic positioning. The three-dimensional information obtained is passed on to the oil companies that have made the requests, for their evaluation and subsequent decision on explorations.

The propulsion plant has a power of 18 megawatts, allowing it to maintain a speed of 16 knots. The maximum crew consists of 80 people, with 60 in single cabins. It is a vessel of 20,637 gross tons, 6,192 net tons, and 7,351 tons deadweight. IMO Code 9629885.

This is the first time a vessel of this type has been in Tenerife

The presence of offshore units in Tenerife has increased significantly in the last two years

This vessel is the first of a series of four built in Japan

Detail of the stern of the vessel 'Ramform Atlas'

Maneuvering between points, viewed from the starboard side

Photos: Jorge Santaella