Press release -
Farewell to the ’Esvagt Omega’
The ’Esvagt Omega’ has taken part in 13 rescue missions and saved the lives of 48 people. Now it is time for her to retire.
An important chapter in ESVAGT history closed on Friday the 6th of May when the shipping company removed the flag from the ’Esvagt Omega’ after 28 years of loyal service.
The vessel was built in 1976 and 40 years of hard work on the North Sea have left its traces, which is why the ’Esvagt Omega’ has now been sent on a well-earned retirement.
“We bid farewell with both sadness and gratitude. The ’Esvagt Omega’ has had an enormous influence on how the shipping company has fared,” says Managing Director, Søren Nørgaard Thomsen, who encouraged guests at the farewell ceremony to reflect on the achievements of the vessel and its crews.
Co-founder of ESVAGT, Ole Andersen, was the first man to sail the ’Esvagt Omega’ under the ESVAGT flag. He was presented with the flag after it was lowered on the ’Esvagt Omega’ for the very last time.
There was plenty to reflect upon. Apart from its daily duties as standby and supply vessel, the ’Esvagt Omega’ has been actively involved in more rescue missions than any other vessel in the ESVAGT fleet. The ‘Esvagt Omega’ and its various crew members have taken part in 13 rescue missions in total and have saved the lives of 48 people. Its most famous mission was in 1990 when the accommodation platform, ’West Gamma’, capsized in the North Sea and the ’Esvagt Omega’ rescued 30 people from the water.
Captain Hans Andreasen was the on-site commander that night on the North Sea:
“It was an event that shaped the shipping company - and me - a great deal. Today is a sad day but it is also a day where we need to remember everything this vessel has taught us. When we took over the ’Esvagt Omega’, we had almost no experience at all in the work we had started. The ’Esvagt Omega’ gave us that experience. The vessel has been on many good jobs and contributed to spreading the ESVAGT culture to the other vessels,” says Hans Andreasen.
Representatives from both Maersk Oil, that had a contract with the ’Esvagt Omega’ for the first 11 years it sailed for ESVAGT, and Hess, that has had a contract with the vessel for the last 17 years, thanked the shipping company and its various crew members past and present for the good work it has done:
“It has always felt easy and safe to work with you,” said Jan Højer, Operations Manager for Hess Denmark.
Topics
Categories
ESVAGT is a dedicated provider of safety and support at sea, founded on an experienced and well-trained offshore crew and unmatched rescue capabilities.
We support the offshore Oil & Gas industries with a wide range of specialized services: Standby, Emergency Response and Resque Vessels (ERRV), Oil spill response, Firefighting, Tanker assists, Rig moves, Supply services and Interfield transfer of cargo and personnel.
In 2010, ESVAGT brought the dedicated offshore wind Service Operation Vessels (SOV) to the market. The SOVs provide accommodation for up to 40 technicians, storage for small turbine parts and a workshop, plus personnel and equipment transfer capabilities by either Walk-to-Work gangway system or Safe Transfer Boats.
ESVAGT was founded in 1981 and has a fleet of more than 40 vessels and more than 900 employees on- and offshore.
