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Tidewater Buys Three PSVs Under Construction at STX OSV (Norway)
STX OSV Holdings Limited (“STX OSV”), one of the major global designers and shipbuilders of offshore and specialized vessels, announced that Tidewater Inc. (“Tidewater”) has acquired contracts for three Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs) under construction at STX OSV in Norway.
STX OSV had originally secured the contracts for the design and construction of three vessels for STX Pan Ocean Co. Ltd. in 2010, and Tidewater has now entered into an assignment agreement with STX Pan Ocean to take over these contracts. The first vessel in the series will be delivered to Tidewater during 1Q 2013. Deliveries of the next two vessels are scheduled for Q2 and Q3 2013.
Mr. Roy Reite, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of STX OSV, said, “STX OSV has in the past delivered ten offshore vessels to Tidewater. We are delighted to welcome Tidewater back to us as a client, and we look forward to cooperating with their team again.”
The vessels are of STX OSV PSV 09 design, developed by STX OSV Design in Ålesund, Norway. The overall length of the vessels is 87.9 meters, with a beam of 19 meters. The hulls are built at STX OSV Tulcea in Romania. Two vessels will be delivered from STX OSV Søviknes, the third from STX OSV Aukra in Norway.
World Maritime News – Tidewater Buys Three PSVs Under Construction at STX OSV (Norway).
- India: Two PSVs Launched at Cochin Shipyard (worldmaritimenews.com)
- Fincantieri Drops $455 Million in “Desperately Needed” Cash for STX OSV (gcaptain.com)
- STX Europe Unloads Norwegian Yard (gcaptain.com)
- STX Discusses Selling Stake in Pan Ocean Ship Unit to Pare Debts (shippingtribune.com)
Norway: Vestnes FMT Secures Another Contract from Ulstein
Vestnes FMT has received a contract for 4 newbuildings from Ulstein Verft in Ulsteinvik. Newbuildings 296, 297, 298 and 299, being built for Blue Ship Invest, will be equipped with state-of-the-art “Willy” furniture packages.
These four newbuildings are medium-sized platform supply vessels (PSV) of PX121 design and are scheduled for delivery from Ulstein Verft in 2013.
Vestnes Ocean is a turn key supplier of accommodation solutions for the maritime industry. The company has developed its own concept of ship furniture named “Willy”, especially made for the life onboard, together with the designers Ralston & Bau.
Shipbuilding Tribune – Norway: Vestnes FMT Secures Another Contract from Ulstein.
- ULSTEIN delivers second PX121 to Blue Ship Invest (maritime-executive.com)
- Norway: Ulstein Delivers PSV ‘Blue Prosper’ (worldmaritimenews.com)
- Norway: Ulstein Verft Conducts Maintenance Work on ‘Island Vanguard’ (worldmaritimenews.com)
- Norway: Ulstein Secures 12 PSV Designs Order (worldmaritimenews.com)
GulfMark Orders Two Platform Supply Vessels from BAE Systems (USA)
GulfMark Americas, Inc. has selected BAE Systems’ shipyard in Mobile, Alabama to build two new platform supply vessels that will serve offshore drilling operations. The contract reflects continued growth in U.S. commercial shipbuilding for BAE Systems and a major step forward in the company’s support to the oil and gas industry.
Each of the GulfMark vessels will be qualified under the U.S. Jones Act and will measure 288 feet long and 62 feet wide. The selection also includes options to build two additional platform supply vessels in the future.
“GulfMark is excited about partnering with BAE Systems on this important project,” said David Rosenwasser, chief operating officer of GulfMark Offshore. “BAE Systems demonstrated unique capabilities that are essential to us, and we look forward to building a long-term relationship going forward.”
The design for the BAE Systems-built Green DP2 vessels will be provided by MMC Ship Design & Marine Consulting, Ltd. of Poland and will be based on similar platform supply vessels currently under construction for GulfMark abroad. The new vessels will be U.S. flagged and will support the anticipated future demand in the Gulf of Mexico offshore market, as well as other areas around the world as necessary.
“This contract reinforces our commitment to new construction in the commercial market and strengthens BAE Systems’ position as a highly competitive and financially stable builder of technically sophisticated ships,” said Richard McCreary, vice president of BAE Systems Southeast Shipyards. “We continue to grow our backlog of projects and build our workforce in Mobile.”
The GulfMark contract is part of a recent expansion at the Mobile shipyard. Last month, the company teamed with Mid Ocean Tanker Company and Alterna Capital to complete the American Phoenix, a U.S. flag/Jones Act-qualified product chemical tanker. Measuring 616 feet long and 105 feet wide, it is the largest vessel ever built and launched in the State of Alabama. BAE Systems has also begun construction on the MV Magdalen, a trailing suction hopper dredge that is scheduled to be delivered in 2014.
In addition to the vessels under construction in Mobile, BAE Systems announced in June that it was awarded a contract with Great Lakes Dock & Dredge Company to build two dump scows, which are used for dredging operations. Construction on the 262-foot-long dump scows is expected to start in October.
BAE Systems currently employs more than 650 people in Mobile and expects to hire an additional 275 workers there by the end of this year.
With state-of-the-art craft shops and fabrication facilities, no job is too big or too small for BAE Systems — from container and supply vessels to mega-yachts and tugs. Serving both military and commercial markets, the company operates six full-service shipyards in Mobile, Alabama; San Francisco and San Diego, California; Jacksonville, Florida; Norfolk, Virginia; and Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Blue Ship Orders Four Platform Supply Vessels from Ulstein (Norway)
Market trends and very good feedback from the first ship in operation triggers Blue Ship Invest to contract another four platform supply vessels (PSVs) of the PX121 design from ULSTEIN. All four are scheduled for delivery in 2013.
“The investment company Blue Ship Invest received its first vessel, ‘Blue Fighter’, from Ulstein Verft in January this year, and will receive the second vessel in Q3. “’Blue Fighter’ has been working for the oil company Apache for several months, and we have received very good feedback from Remøy Shipping, who manages the vessel on our behalf. The feedback, combined with developments in the PSV market, leads us to contract a series of another four PSVs of the same design,” says CEO Gunvor Ulstein in Ulstein Group.
Gunvor Ulstein adds that while ULSTEIN’s expertise is in design, system solutions and ship construction, ship management is not a part of the company’s business scope. “We will make arrangements for the management of the vessels, but I emphasize that all six vessels are for sale,” she says.
Captain Inge Gjelsten gives ‘Blue Fighter’ the following assessment: “I have worked on board several newbuilds, but ’Blue Fighter’ is the best of them by far. A vessel of this type is my preferred choice for the North Sea. ‘Blue Fighter’ is remarkably efficient and comfortable in all weather conditions. Wind and seas have little impact on the vessel’s performance compared to conventional PSVs. We can compare performance directly when steaming on the same tracks to the oil fields: With the same weather conditions and 3-5 metres head sea within 30 degrees of the bow, our ship can easily and comfortably maintain a speed of 12-13 knots, while the other vessels have to reduce their speed to 7-8 knots. The higher speed is a result of the ‘X-BOW® effect’. Also, due to the position of the stabilisation tanks on board, ‘Blue Fighter’ operates extremely well when wind and seas approach from the side.”
PX121 is a medium-sized platform supply vessel, with a length of 83.4 metres and a beam of 18 metres. It has a cargo deck of 875 square metres and a load capacity of 4200 tonnes (dwt). It has a maximum speed of approximately 15 knots and modern accommodation for 24 persons.
Efficiency and flexibility has been the focus in the development of this design. The ship is adapted to the requirements for longer and deeper boreholes and activities further from shore. In addition to tanks for oil, water and drilling fluids, the vessel has four stainless steel tanks for flammable liquids. The vessel is equipped with a dynamic positioning system Class II and meets the requirements of DNV’s Clean Design and ICE-C notations. The ship is also equipped with catalysts for all four main engines.
The X-BOW® hull line design offers efficiency over a wide draught range, which is important for PSVs as they frequently operate with varying loads. Moreover, the X-BOW has unique, advantageous qualities in terms of motion and propulsion efficiency in moderate and heavy seas. Both the hull and choice of propulsion system make the vessel particularly suited for North Sea and North Atlantic conditions.
Related articles
- Norway: Ulstein Gets Order for Four PSVs from Blue Ship Invest (worldmaritimenews.com)
- Norway: Captain Praises Ulstein-built ‘Blue Fighter’ Supply Vessel (mb50.wordpress.com)
- Norway: Ulstein Launches Blue Prosper PSV (mb50.wordpress.com)
- GC Rieber Shipping Orders Subsea Vessel from Ulstein (Norway) (mb50.wordpress.com)
Norway: Captain Praises Ulstein-built ‘Blue Fighter’ Supply Vessel
In recent years, Inge Gjelsten has been Captain on board several newbuilds: “’Blue Fighter’ is the best of them by far,” he states. He is soon to retire, and concludes: “If I were a newly-educated captain planning for a career on a supply vessel in the North Sea, a vessel of this type would be my preferred choice.”
The medium-sized platform supply vessel ‘Blue Fighter’ of PX121 design from ULSTEIN was ordered based on trends in the North Sea market. After only days of operation in the spot market, ‘Blue Fighter’ entered a one-year contract, with an option for an additional year, with the American oil company Apache for work in the North Sea.
Remøy Shipping has technical and commercial management of the vessel and feedback on her seakeeping abilities is invariably positive.
Captain Gjelsten continues:
“All on board agree that this is a remarkably efficient and comfortable vessel in all weather conditions. Wind and seas have little impact on the vessel’s performance compared to conventional PSV s. We can compare performance directly when steaming on the same tracks to the oil fields: With the same weather conditions and 3-5 metres head sea within 30 degrees of the bow, our ship can easily and comfortably maintain a speed of 12-13 knots, while the other vessels have to reduce their speed to 7-8 knots. The higher speed is a result of the ‘X-BOW® effect’. Also, due to the position of the stabilisation tanks on board, ‘Blue Fighter’ operates extremely well when wind and seas approach from the side.”
Ulstein Verft delivered the vessel to Blue Ship Invest in January this year.
Related articles
- Norway: Ulstein Launches Blue Prosper PSV (mb50.wordpress.com)
- Norway: ULSTEIN – The Most Attractive Community (worldmaritimenews.com)
- Norway: Launching of Platform Supply Vessel Construction for Blue Ship Invest (worldmaritimenews.com)
- Norway: Eidesvik Sells 50 pct of Newbuild Subsea Vessel (mb50.wordpress.com)
- Ulstain Delivers New PSV ‘CBO Pacifico’ to Brazil (worldmaritimenews.com)
- UK: BP Places Order for 4 Platform Supply Vessels (mb50.wordpress.com)
UK: BP Places Order for 4 Platform Supply Vessels
BP announced today it has ordered four new platform support vessels (PSV) to help deliver its long term business strategy in the North Sea. The vessels will be deployed to support its West of Shetland (WoS) and Norwegian operations and be delivered between the winter of 2013 and summer of 2014.
The purpose built and highly specified vessels have been designed to provide long term support to BP’s North Sea business and will provide the capabilities BP requires to deliver its strategy more efficiently and safely. The vessels will have oil spill response capability and special tanks to transport fluids required for planned enhanced oil recovery (EOR) schemes.
Performance and safety will also be further improved by having dedicated crews on long term hire, minimising turnover and enhancing familiarity with BP’s processes.
Trevor Garlick, Regional President for BP North Sea, said, “Our long term commitment to the North Sea gives us the confidence to make major investments in vital support services. These new vessels will provide BP with a number of safety and commercial benefits, as well as allow for the greater deployment of technology. Improving our capability to recover more oil from our reservoirs is crucial to the future of the North Sea.”
The announcement is also positive news for the local economies in Scotland and Norway, as nearly 80% of the total project and operating costs will be spent there. The operating and maintenance work will be locally supplied and officers and crew will be UK and Norwegian qualified mariners. The vessels’ operators will support seafarer’s development by sponsoring personnel through their professional qualifications, including an Officer Cadet training scheme.
Mark Hardie, UK Logistics Manager for BP’s North Sea Region, said: “This is a significant investment in BP’s North Sea marine capability and will bring a number of business and local benefits from late 2013 onwards. The UK dedicated vessels will be based and maintained in Aberdeen.”
The arrangement is structured such that BP Shipping has contracted Hyundai to build the vessels and then hire them to BP Exploration Operating Company on a 15 year bareboat term charter. This project is consistent with BP’s strategy for marine offshore supply vessels that promotes vessel ownership where long term ‘life of field’ can be demonstrated.
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- Norway: Ulstein Launches Blue Prosper PSV (mb50.wordpress.com)
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- India: Cochin Shipyard Delivers PSV to Norwegian Owner (mb50.wordpress.com)
- STX OSV to Build Two OSCVs for Siem Offshore (Norway) (mb50.wordpress.com)
Norway: Ulstein Launches Blue Prosper PSV
Norway’s Ulstein Verft yesterday succesfully launched a new PSV, Blue Prosper (Yard no. 294), the second of two medium-sized platform supply vessels (PSV) of the new PX121 design from ULSTEIN® for Blue Ship Invest.
The platform supply vessel was launched from the dock after the final paintwork had been carried out inside the dockhall. The vessel is due for delivery in August this year.
Ulstein Verft was contracted to build the two vessels for Blue Ship Invest, a shipping company in ULSTEIN, at the end of 2010, and the first vessel, M/V Blue Fighter was delivered in January 2011
The vessel is built with the X-BOW® hull line design, which is particularly well-suited for this type of vessel. The X-BOW offers efficiency over a wide draught range, which is important for PSVs as they frequently operate with varying loads. Moreover, the X-BOW has unique, advantageous qualities in terms of motion and propulsion efficiency in heavy seas. Both the hull and choice of propulsion system make the vessel particularly suited for North Sea and North Atlantic conditions. The vessel is equipped with a dynamic positioning system IMO Class II.
The ship has a length of 83.4 metres and a beam of 18 metres. It has a cargo deck of 875 square metres and a load capacity of 4200 tonnes (dwt). The ship meets the requirements of DNV’s Clean Design notation and is prepared for fire-fighting class Fi-Fi II. It has a maximum speed of circa 15 knots and modern accommodation for 24 persons.
Related articles
- Norway: Eidesvik Sells 50 pct of Newbuild Subsea Vessel (mb50.wordpress.com)