Princess of Belgium names world’s largest fallpipe vessel Yellowstone

General – Naming Ceremony

DEME is proud to announce that today Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, Princess of Belgium officially named the new fallpipe vessel Yellowstone in Zeebrugge, Belgium.

Boasting a payload capacity of 37,000 tonnes, Yellowstone further solidifies DEME’s leadership in the offshore energy industry. This summer the new vessel Yellowstone sets sail for the US to work on the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project.

“We were greatly honoured that Her Royal Highness Princess Astrid, Princess of Belgium accepted our invitation to become the godmother of Yellowstone,” said Chief Executive Officer Luc Vandenbulcke. “Yellowstone embodies the innovation and excellence that DEME stands for, and the presence of Her Royal Highness at this naming ceremony emphasises the significance of this great milestone.”

Unparalleled rock placement capabilities DEME’s expertise in subsea rock placement is well-established. As a global leader in this sector, DEME already operates some of the most efficient and productive fallpipe vessels throughout the world, including Flintstone, Rollingstone, and Seahorse. These high-tech DP2 vessels guarantee pinpoint accuracy and exceptional levelling capabilities, even in water depths that exceed 2,000 metres.

Yellowstone is designed to ensure versatility and efficiency in subsea rock placement projects. It features a central vertical fallpipe that is capable of operating in water depths of 600-700 metres, along with a large inclined fallpipe which has been designed for shallower depths of 30-50 metres. This configuration will enable precise rock placement activities near subsea structures, such as offshore wind turbine monopiles. With its exceptional loading capacity, ‘Yellowstone’ is particularly well-suited for projects requiring longer distances or transit times.

In line with DEME’s vision to become carbon neutral by 2050, the new fallpipe vessel will be the first in the fleet to be prepared for (green) methanol and it will also be the first dual-fuel fallpipe vessel in the industry. Yellowstone has a hybrid power plant with a 1 MWh Li-ion battery, making it possible to achieve significant fuel savings.

Original Source: https://ocean-energyresources.com/2024/06/04/princess-of-belgium-names-worlds-largest-fallpipe-vessel-yellowstone/