For the project MacGregors ro-ro conversion team supplied lower side-hinged bow doors, an upper side-hinged bow door, a sliding bow cover, side-hinged pipe hatches and the pipe hatch coaming. The weathertight lower bow door is located in the firing line tunnel area and the door, when open, allows the pipe to be passed through. It is supplied with a flat top plate and open web construction. The door is arranged in two sections, each hinged at the outboard vertical side. Each door leaf opens forward along the longitudinal bulkhead to achieve the required clear opening. Its operation is effected by direct acting hydraulic cylinders and the operation is controlled from a control station close to the door. In the closed and open positions, securing the door is by means of hydraulically operated cleat bolts located in the door. The bolts lock into the ships structure and the upper bow door. The door can be opened in two positions, either fully or partly open. The partly open position will, due to the more exposed position, only be applicable for sea states where no green sea load is present on the door.

The upper bow door is constructed in much the same way, but does not form part of the vessels integrity or watertightness. The sliding bow cover is also not part of the vessels integrity or watertightness. The four side-hinging pipe hatches, each comprising one panel, are arranged above the pipehold. The hatch is normally kept open, but is weathertight in the closed position. The rotational movement of the hatches is enabled through hydraulic cylinders attached at the longitudinal coaming. These cylinders are retracted when the hatch is open.

The conversion concept for Audacia was developed in-house by Allseas and undertaken at Keppel Verolme shipyard in The Netherlands. By positioning the stinger, which controls the position of the pipe, on the bow it was possible to use the vessels original propulsion configuration. The bow location of the stinger means that distortional effects caused by the conventional requirement to widen and strengthen the aft ship region could be reduced. The bow-side location also ensures smoother water flow off the stern, with consequent improvements in vessel speed. Audacia is able to reach a transit speed of up to 16 knots enabling it to do more work in a calendar year. Audacia has completed completed its first assignment, finalising the installation of the L-09 pipeline for Shell UK Ltd. The 16 inch gas export pipeline, with double two inch chemical injection piggyback pipeline, is 19.5km long and is located in the Dutch Continental Shelf of the Southern North Sea. The water depth along the pipelay route varies between approximately 21m and 25m.