Name of the Project
AMV3 diamond recovery vessel.

Location
Namibia.

Project Owner/s
Debmarine Namibia, a 50:50 joint venture between De Beers Group and the Namibia government.

Project Description
The project involves the construction of a new 177-m-long custom-built diamond recovery vessel, to be known as the AMV3, which will become the seventh in the Debmarine Namibia fleet, with the capacity to add 500 000 ct/y to production, a 35% increase on Debmarine Namibia’s current levels.

The vessel is the largest single investment ever made in the marine diamond industry and will use an underwater crawling system to scour the seabed for diamonds.

The vessel will also become the largest ship in Debmarine’s fleet, exceeding the size of Debmarine Namibia’s current largest vessel, the Mafuta, by 8 000 t displacement.

Potential Job Creation
Not stated.

Net Present Value/Internal Rate of Return
The project has an internal rate of return of more than 25% and a payback of three years.

Capital Expenditure
The project is estimated at $468-million.

Planned Start/End Date
Production is expected to begin in 2022.

Latest Developments
The AMV3 will be fitted with an integrated power system package supplied by electronics, automation and robotics company ABB.

According to ABB, its systems will ensure the advanced diamond recovery vessel, which is being built by Damen at Damen Shipyards Mangalia on the Black Sea in Romania, meets exceptional safety, efficiency and availability requirements.

ABB notes that its latest technology will ensure the vessel achieves unsurpassed uptime.

In addition to the advanced system for power generation, distribution and variable-speed-drive propulsion systems, the solution includes a large online double-conversion marine uninterruptible power supply (MUPS) to support the ship’s vital control processes, significantly reducing the risk of critical power loss and downtime.

ABB’s MUPS is designed for undisrupted availability, ensuring power backup for the vessel’s onboard control systems of the subsea crawler and processing plant, which sorts through sediment lifted from the seabed to extract diamonds.

ABB’s advanced and tightly integrated power system will help enhance engine loading, as well as reduce running hours and fuel costs, and decrease maintenance needs.

Key Contracts and Suppliers
Damen (construction of AMV3); Marin Teknikk (AMV3 design); and ABB (integrated power system package).

Contact Details for Project Information
De Beers Group (South Africa), Pranill Ramchander, tel +27 11638 2592 or email pranill.ramchander@angloamerican.com.