Normand-Ranger Vessel Reviews and Specifications

On August 3, 2026, the offshore vessel 'Normand Ranger' was spotted towing SpaceX's Starship rocket, Ship 40, alongside the support ship 'Skimmer Tide' (IMO: 9609988) in the Indian Ocean. This operation followed the company's latest test flight, aiming to safely transport the 170-foot-long rocket back to shore. The test flight, which took place on July 24, marked SpaceX's 13th fully integrated mission, designed to refine the process of controlled landings for the upper spacecraft. Achieving such landings is crucial for SpaceX's ambitions to recover and rapidly reuse their rockets, a strategy aimed at significantly lowering launch expenses. During the July test, Ship 40 demonstrated impressive advancements compared to earlier prototypes. It successfully maintained the functionality of all six engines during reentry into Earth's atmosphere, showcasing remarkable control throughout the descent. The vehicle achieved its softest splashdown to date, landing precisely at the designated ocean site and remaining buoyant, a noteworthy contrast to previous models that sunk post-landing. Initially, the SpaceX recovery vessel 'Go Australis' remained in the vicinity of Ship 40. On July 28, SpaceX confirmed their plans to recover the rocket, leading to the involvement of 'Normand Ranger' and 'Skimmer Tide,' which were navigating at approximately one knot and notifying others of their limited maneuverability on August 3. Meanwhile, the 'Go Australis' departed the area, heading back towards Australia. For further details and photographs of this historic recovery operation, please visit: https://edition.cnn.com/2026/08/03/science/spacex-starship-indian-ocean-recovery-satellite-images.

On November 25, 2010, at approximately 1:30 PM, a fire erupted in the engine room of the 'Normand Ranger' (IMO 9413432) while it was navigating through the Byfjorden, situated between Skolten Hegre and Neset. Local firefighting units, including the Sandviken fire rescue team, promptly responded to the incident. Fortunately, the vessel's crew had already managed to contain the blaze, which was attributed to ignited insulation materials. The 'Normand Ranger' was docked in Bergen when the fire incident occurred, and fire rescue personnel utilized thermal imaging cameras to inspect the engine room for any lingering hotspots following the fire suppression efforts.