Damen Shipyards Group, together with various partners, have developed a new Arctic vessel, the Damen AMTSV (Arctic Modular Towing Supply Vessel). The 100m double-acting supply ship is capable of operating in the Barents Sea year round and in the Baffin Bay and Beaufort Sea for eight months. The AMTSV can sail through 1.6m of level ice at three knots and is capable of operating in Arctic waters for up to 12 months, depending on the region. The vessel has two bows: when she sails through open water the accommodation is at the front. Through ice, however, she will sail with her thrusters first and, in effect, has a ‘double-bow’, a concept which is incorporated in the structural lay-out of the ship.
