A crewboat has been delivered to an Irish operator while separate customers in China and the UK have placed orders for new cable laying vessels. A Chinese yard has secured a contract for a floating LNG processing vessel. Lastly, a Norwegian owner's construction vessel has begun undergoing final outfitting.
Golar LNG has signed an engineering, procurement and construction agreement with Yantai CIMC Raffles Offshore for its fourth floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) unit, with annual liquefaction capacity of 3.5 million tonnes.
The conversion project has a total budget of approximately $2.45 billion delivered to its prospective site, with a donor vessel already secured.
Delivery from the Chinese shipyard is expected by the end of 2029. Golar LNG said the unit will be the second vessel built to its second-generation design and will share the same specifications as FLNG Esperanza, which is under construction at the same facility.
UK shipbuilder Diverse Marine has handed over a new catamaran crewboat to Irish operator Farra Marine.
Farra Tuireann is the latest example in a series of crewboats designed by UK naval architecture firm Chartwell Marine for various customers.
The newbuild has a length of 26 metres and four Volvo Penta IMO Tier III engines. Diverse Marine said her unique hull form features a fine entry with higher buoyance reserves above the main chines and a high wet deck, which, when combined with low a propulsion line, will provide excellent seakeeping and passenger transfer capabilities.
Chinese shipbuilder Qidong Xiangyu Marine Equipment has launched a new cable laying vessel ordered by local company Shanghai Yuanwei.
Blue Ocean Navigator (蓝海领航; Lan Hai Linghang) was designed by China State Shipbuilding Corporation subsidiary 708 Research Institute. Upon completion, she will have a length of 139.8 metres, a displacement of 35,000 tons at full load, a maximum cable carrying capacity of 16,000 tons, and all-electric propulsion.
Once in service, she will be the largest all-electric, deep-sea cable laying vessel to be built and operated in China.
A new hybrid offshore construction vessel ordered by Norwegian operator Island Offshore has arrived at Vard Langsten in Norway.
Island Evolution was towed from the Braila facilities of Vard Shipyards Romania in late June. She will soon undergo final outfitting and commissioning, which will be the last steps in preparation for her delivery in January 2027.
The completed vessel will measure 120 metres long by 25 metres wide and will feature a 250-tonne heave-compensated offshore subsea crane and a gangway. She will also be able to accommodate 130 people on board.
UK-based Global Marine Systems has placed an order for a new cable laying and repair vessel.
The hybrid-powered vessel will be specially designed and equipped for subsea cable laying and repair with a high focus on enhanced seakeeping qualities, improved station-keeping performance, and low fuel consumption. Design work will be undertaken by Norwegian naval architecture firm Vard Design.
The vessel will boast an optimised hull form while a bow shape specially developed by Vard will be incorporated in the design. This will enable the vessel to achieve high speeds while generating fewer emissions.