This September marked the 3rd anniversary since the first TOS crew joined Kotug-Teekay’s frontrunner – RT Beagle Bay. These were challenging and rewarding years, full of adventures and interesting events. As a Captain of RT Raven – the successor of RT Beagle Bay – I’m proud and happy to be part of the Bayu Undan team. Together with our crew, we serve our charterer with a unique set of services, tailored by KOTUG International specifically for our unique location.
Bayu Undan is a gas field, located in a remote area of the Timor Sea, between Timor Leste and Northern Australia. Our duties include infield towage (LPG and condensate tankers), rig moves, cargo and personnel transfers, emergency response, offtake hose maintenance, and anchor handling. We can even become a Dive Support Vessel when necessary, as we did two years ago. Our vessel – RT Raven – is the most sophisticated Rotor®tug ever built, launched in 2018 at Damen Shipyards Sharjah. This tug has state-of-the-art technology – both on the bridge and in the engine room. She’s the first Rotor®tug to be built with DP2 notation. The vessel is equipped with the latest of Inmarsat’s Fleet Xpress technology to ensure stable and high-speed Internet connectivity both for business-related communication and for the crew’s private purposes. When off duty, the crew can enjoy their rest either at the gym, the well-equipped mess room or while playing their favourite Playstation games.
Being part of the Bayu Undan team doesn’t only mean R&R (Rest & Relaxation). It is hard work and there are rough seas, too. The Timor Sea is known to be very rough from time to time, especially in cyclone season. On average, five cyclones pass through the area every year. Due to the importance of our emergency response capabilities, we are required to be available infield 24/7. The only exception is one port call per year, for which we undergo all of the necessary annual inspections, services and repairs in just a few days. All crew members do their best to keep both owner (Kotug) and charterer happy, and with very good results. Our vessel is a very important infield asset. TOS has provided manning and training services since day one.
Captain Tomasz Blaszczyk
