Mining and fallpipe vessel Simon StevinRock dumping vessels

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The largest deepwater fallpipe in the world

The largest deepwater fallpipe in the world

The Simon Stevin from Jan de Nul is the largest fall pipe vessel in the world with a capacity of 33,500 tonnes. This fall pipe is also the first 'purpose-built' fall pipe vessel, designed to work at great depths. Because of the extensive knowledge of Vuyk, the basic design of the vessel, as well as the concept design of the mining system and the concept and detailed design of the fall pipe system, was performed by Vuyk.

Customer request Basic design

The Simon Stevin is as large as an apartment complex consisting of 70 apartments spread over eight floors. The vessel transports rock in two cargo holds on the main deck. These rocks are discharged by means of two excavators and conveyor belts via a fall pipe installation, deployed in a moonpool located amidships in the vessel. During loading or discharging the vessel is capable of maintaining a constant draught by means of an automatic ballasting system, consisting of tanks at the sides, filled/emptied by means of electrically driven pumps.

The vessel is equipped for the installation of mining crawlers and a riser pipe, discharging into the storage unit. In a superstructure amidships, storage, launching, and recovery system is installed for mounting, launching, supporting, recovering, and dismounting the fall pipe and the riser pipe. The vessel is equipped with two ROV's for the fall pipe installation: one fall pipe ROV at the lower end of the fall pipe, for positioning of the fallpipe, and one work class ROV, with a launching device, for surveying and general operations.