The document traces the evolution of offshore support vessels (OSVs) from their origins in the 1950s Gulf of Mexico, where WWII surplus vessels were repurposed for oil exploration, to the development of specialized designs like the 1955 Alden and John Laborde vessel. Modern OSVs are highly advanced, larger, and equipped with multifunctional capabilities to support deep-water operations, reflecting the industry's growing demands. Currently, there are approximately 4,000 OSVs globally, with over 200 more under construction, emphasizing the shift to sophisticated and automated designs for safety and efficiency.

1. Offshore Support Vessel
“Then and Now”

2. Offshore Support Vessel “Then & Now”
The origin of offshore support vessels may be traced to the Gulf of Mexico –
where oil exploration first moved offshore in the 1950s. Then, surplus World War
II vessels, wooden fishing boats, and shrimp trawlers were used to supply
offshore rigs with cement, mud, spare parts, crews, fuel and food.
In 1955, Alden and John Laborde [17] developed the first purpose-built vessel to
supply offshore rigs and platforms, featuring a bow wheelhouse and a long flat
afterdeck that became the standard for offshore support vessels. This pioneering
design – bearing close resemblance to a pickup truck – withstood the test of time
and has become a generic ship type of its own right.
As a ship type it has since been given a variety of names: offshore support vessel
is perhaps the more all-encompassing one; others are offshore supply
vessels, anchor handling and supply vessel, anchor handling towing and supply
vessels, or other combinations, depending largely on the functions the vessel is
designed and equipped to perform.

3. Tidewater created the “work boat”
industry with its 1956 launch of the
“Ebb Tide” , the world’s first offshore
vessel tailor-made to support the
offshore oil and gas industry.

4. Tugboats are small but very powerful vessels which were
developed to specifically assist other vessels, Offshore Mobile
Units (by pushing or towing them from ‘A’ to ‘B’, moving them
around in canals or harbors, fire fighting etc.).

5. Ocean-Going Tugs – These tugs are used for Rig Moves, Anchor Handling vessels over a
long journey in potentially hazardous seas.

6. AHTS (Anchor Handling Towage Supply) Vessels - These vessels provide
support for offshore structures in the energy industries, both old and new.
They are specially built to be able to raise huge anchors belonging to
offshore rigs, tow vessels and platforms where necessary and carry
supplies out to them.

7. Today AHTSS are more advanced than
ever and can perform a multitude of
tasks.
The world today has about 4000 offshore support vessels of various types. While statistical data are not very precise, there appears to
be more than 200 under construction at present. These modern vessels, intended for fleet replacement on the one hand, and to meet
the more demanding needs of deeper water operations on the other, are of much improved designs and packed with multifunctional
capabilities.

8. Modern fleet of advanced and high quality service vessels for the
offshore oil industry.

9. Next Generation
Offshore Supports Vessels

10. Automated Deck Operations Offshore Vessel
Rolls Royce UT 730 WP is designed for the
new and demanding rules and regulations for
safe anchor-handling operations.

11. Typical OSVs Then and Now
In the past, the sizes of OSVs are traditionally in the range of 40m to around 70m.
The types of cargos carried on board were typically
pipes, casings, stores, chains, machineries and equipment for offshore rigs, etc.
In general, the conventional design of offshore supply vessels satisfied with the
definition in IMO Resolution A469(XII) [10].
In contrast, new generation OSVs are required to provide support for deepwater
drilling operations and deliver more cargoes at greater distance from shore and
faster.
They are larger in size as compared to their predecessors in order to provide bigger
cargo deck areas, and to optimize the under deck spaces for accommodating
increase number of bulk tanks for liquid mud, brine and cement.
Due to higher specification for towing and anchor handling, new generation OSVs
are now equipped with sophisticated anchor handling equipment, and thrusters for
dynamic positioning capabilities.