Dockwise has won a contract to transport the Aasta Hansteen (formerly Luva) spar buoy to the Norwegian sector of the North Sea from either South Korea or Finland, depending on client Statoil’s yard choice.
The 45,000 tonnes production spar, which measures some 275m in length and has a diameter of 50m will be transported on the radical new-build super vessel Dockwise Vanguard in 2015.
Final contract award from Statoil is dependent on formal project sanction for the Aasta Hansteen development.
Dockwise Vanguard vessel is currently under construction, with delivery expected in Q4 this year. Dockwise has also received contracts for the transport of four drilling rigs to Rotterdam, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore, all during the first half of this year, and is to transport a single load of barges to Brazil during Q2.
Andre Goedee, Dockwise’s CEO, said: “These contract wins, particularly a double-rig cargo on the Black Marlin from Singapore to Rotterdam, are further proof of the rise in activity levels in oil and gas exploration seen since the end of 2011.
“The contract win for Dockwise Vanguard underlines our clients’ recognition of the advantages of a vessel of the scale and capacity of Dockwise Vanguard.
“Spar buoys were an asset class that we identified as potential for this vessel and consequently I am excited that the Aasta Hansteen spar buoy contract is the first to materialise of those prospects we are discussing with clients for the post-2013 period.”
The total value of the five contracts secured this far this year total around $57million.
The Dockwise Vanguard features a massive and uninterrupted main deck measuring 275m overall by the full 50m of breadth . . . twice as large as anything afloat today . . . and is currently fitting out at the Hyundai yard in South Korea.
When completed it will be able to transport payloads of up to 110,000 tonnes at speeds of up to 14 knots.