Ceona, of London, Houston and Aberdeen, has placed a contract for the charter of a high-spec, new-build construction support vessel with GC Rieber Shipping of Norway.
The vessel will be contracted exclusively to Ceona for an initial period of five years with an option for up to five years more.
The high-capacity vessel is designed for operations in harsh conditions and deep waters, with a length of 130m by 25m breadth.
The vessel is being built to the highest standard for dynamic positioning, DP-3, and will be equipped with a 250-tonne AHC offshore crane.
The vessel is designed to operate in the SURF market, with capacity for flexible pipe loads below deck and on main deck, and a vertical pipelaying system above the moon pool.
It will be able to accommodate 130 crew members, and is built according to the latest international environmental standards.
Ceona says it will equip the vessel with a 270-tonne vertical lay system, which will be capable of installing flexible pipe and umbilicals to 3,000m water depth.
The vessel’s hull is currently under construction in the Ukraine, and will be towed for outfitting by Ulstein Verft in Norway. Once outfitted with the lay package the ship should be available for work at about this time next year.
Ceona CEO Steve Preston said of the arrangement with GC Riebar: “We are very pleased to award the contract for the new vessel, which will be an excellent addition to our fleet, and a valuable part of our ongoing growth strategy.
“It will enhance our project delivery capabilities and will complement the work of the Ceona Amazon, our new rigid pipelay vessel due for delivery in January 2015.”
The company, which last year changed its name from Offshore Installation Group, is moving away from being a pure vessel owner to become a project contractor.
Preston is a former executive with leading Dutch marine contractor Heerema and Ceona is backed by Goldman Sachs.
The company currently operates the pipelayer Giant II and construction vessel Blue Giant.