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on the fore, aft and mid sections of the ship, which are activated by an
onboard computer that constantly monitors winds and waves to adjust the
thrusters to compensate for these changes. Sometimes, both positioning
systems are used.
Drillships were first developed in the late 1940s by marine
architects. Created to overcome water depth challenges offshore
California in the Pacific Ocean, the first drillship was a surplus U.S. Navy
patrol craft that was equipped with cantilevered drilling equipment.
Seeing some success, the next drill ship incorporated a moon pool and an
onboard drilling derrick. After its success, companies soon ordered the
construction of subsequent drillships.
Transocean, Pride, Seadrill, Frontier Drilling and Noble are a few
of the companies that own and operate drillships globally.
The most technologically advanced drillship in the world is not on
lovaton in the gulf of mexico or in a Korean shipyard. Meet the Aurora
Borealis, a dynamically positioned, drillship/icebreaker, arctic research
vessel designed for the European Union.
The Research Icebreaker AURORA BOREALIS will be the most
advanced Polar Research Vessel in the world with a multi-functional role
of drilling in deep ocean basins and supporting climate/environmental
research for the next 40 years.
The new technological features will include azimuth propulsion
systems, satellite navigation, ice-management support, deep-sea drilling
under a closed sea-ice cover and the deployment and operation of
Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater
Vehicles (AUV) from one of the two moon-pools.
The unique feature of the vessel is the drilling rig, which will
enable sampling of the ocean floor down to 5000 m water depth and with
1000 m penetration into the seafloor at the most inhospitable places on
earth (fig. 3.2). The drilling capability will be deployed in both polar
regions and AURORA BOREALIS will be the only vessel worldwide to
undertake this type of scientific investigation.
Technical Details:
• Powerful icebreaker with ca. 55 MW (diesel-electric)
• Highest classification for icebreakers
• Twin hull
• Two moon pools 7 x 7 m each
• Dynamic Positioning System
• Deep-sea drilling under a closed sea-ice cover
• Drilling rig: max. 5,000 m water depth and 1,000 m core
• Riserless drilling technology
• Modularized mobile laboratory systems – mission specific laboratories
• Length over all ca. 180 m
• Beam ca. 40 m
• Personnel (crew + scientists) 120
• Expedition duration 60 days.

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