Offshore Vessel News Roundup | December 17 – Japanese cable layers, US fast crewboats and more
Deliveries include a new fast crewboat for the US East Coast, an AHTS for a Saudi operator. Among the notable orders are a cable laying vessel for a Japanese owner and six PSVs with secondary spill response capability for deployment in support of a Latin American oil giant.
CMM orders six hybrid PSVs with oil spill response capability
Brazilian offshore vessel operator Compagnie Maritime Monegasque (CMM) has selected Kongsberg Maritime for the design of six platform supply vessels (PSVs) in a series.
The vessels will each have a deadweight of 5,000, a length of 92 metres, hybrid propulsion systems, and oil spill recovery capability. CMM will operate the PSVs under 12-year firm charter contracts with Brazilian state-owned oil company Petrobras.
Kongsberg Maritime said the vessels are designed to be upgraded to ethanol fuel, enabling further reduction in carbon emissions by as much as 70 per cent once the upgrade is executed.
WindServe Marine's newest fast crewboat hits the water
Boatbuilder Senesco Marine of North Kingstown, Rhode Island has floated out a new fast crewboat ordered by offshore vessel operator WindServe Marine.
WindServe Spartan will be operated alongside WindServe Marine's other vessels in serving offshore wind customers along the US East Coast.
The crewboat measure 95 feet (29 metres) long and can transport up to 24 technicians at a top speed of 27 knots. Power will be provided by two Volvo D13 engines.
Rawabi Vallianz Offshore takes delivery of new AHTS
Saudi Arabia-based Rawabi Vallianz Offshore Services has taken delivery of a new anchor handling tug supply vessel (AHTS) built by Shin Yang Shipyard of Malaysia.
The ABS-classed Rawabi 213 belongs to a series of 10 AHTS ordered by Rawabi Vallianz. The newbuild has an LOA of 64 metres, a beam of 16 metres, a draught of 3.5 metres, a depth of six metres, and a gross tonnage of 2,168.
Norwegian firm selected to design new cable-layer for Japan's Penta-Ocean
Norwegian naval architecture firm Salt Ship Design has been selected by Japan's Penta-Ocean Construction to undertake design work on a new inter-array cable laying vessel that will support the Japanese offshore wind market.
The vessel will be built by the PaxOcean Group of Singapore. Upon completion, it will feature advanced capabilities to facilitate cable laying and burial for bottom-fixed and floating offshore wind farms, as well as submarine direct current transmission cables.
Purus' newest CSOV headed for Norway for outfitting
A new commissioning service operation vessel (CSOV) ordered by UK-based maritime services company Purus has departed the facilities of Vard Tulcea in Romania and is being transported to Norway for final outfitting.
Purus Chinook will undergo final outfitting at Vard Søviknes. Following delivery in 2025, the CSOV will begin operating under a multi-year service contract with Vestas.
American Offshore Services takes delivery of third fast crewboat in series
American Offshore Services (AOS), an offshore vessel operator based in Providence, Rhode Island, has taken delivery of a new crewboat built by Blount Boats in nearby Warren.
Like its sister vessels Gripper and Generater, which were delivered earlier this year, Guarder is a Jones Act-compliant aluminium catamaran built to support Ørsted and Eversource's growing portfolio of offshore wind farms in the north-eastern US.
ClassNK awards AIP for NYK's cable-lay vessel concept
NYK recently obtained approval in principle (AIP) from ClassNK for the design concept of a cable-laying vessel for the construction of a long-distance subsea direct current transmission network in Japan.
NYK said that, since suitable locations for wind-power generation, such as Hokkaido, are far from areas of major electricity demand, developing a power transmission network is crucial to increase the amount of electricity generated in the future. One solution to this issue is the construction of a long-distance subsea DC transmission network using cable-laying vessels.
South Korean firm taps Singapore builder for new windfarm crewboat
South Korean shipyard Yeosu Ocean has selected Singapore-based counterpart Strategic Marine for the construction of a new catamaran crewboat.
Designed by BMT, the vessel will be capable of incorporating multiple propulsion and engine options, coupled with a larger asymmetric superstructure ensuring ample interior space for a range of operational requirements. Once in service, it will transport technicians to and from offshore wind farms.
Seacor Marine completes debt refinancing, orders new vessels
Houston-based Seacor Marine Holdings, a provider of marine and support transportation services to offshore energy facilities worldwide, has entered into a new senior secured term loan of up to US$391 million with an affiliate of EnTrust Global (2024 SMFH Credit Facility) and separate agreements to build two platform supply vessels (PSVs) for a contract price of US$41 million per vessel.
The PSVs will each have a deadweight of 4,650, a 1,000-square-metre deck, medium-speed diesel engines, and an integrated battery energy storage system for higher fuel efficiency and lower running costs.
Spanish firm unveils design images of new windfarm support SOV
Spanish naval architecture firm Seaplace has been working on a new design of service operation vessel (SOV) focused on supporting activities in the floating wind sector.
The 75-metre SOV is being developed as part of the e-PROA project, an R&D funding project led by the Spanish Industrial Technological Development Center and supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation.
