Insurance payouts on a North Sea floating production vessel which broke loose in a storm have reached nearly £440million.
Maersk Oil North Sea’s Gryphon Alpha floating production storage and off-loading ship (FPSO) broke four of its 10 anchor chains in the incident in February 2011.
The firm’s accounts for 2012 – released by Companies House yesterday – show it received £439million from insurers.
And insurance experts estimate the total cost could be as much as £640million.
The accounts reveal that while a lower oil price in 2012 cut turnover, Maersk’s operating profits for the year were £178million, up from £150.5million the previous year.
The firm’s workforce increased from 319 to 543 over the year, according to the accounts, which also reveal that the firm estimates that decommissioning its platforms will cost £246million.
More than 70 people had to be evacuated from Gryphon Alpha after it broke loose from its anchorage during severe winds.
The FPSO, moored 175 miles north-east of Aberdeen, had 114 people on board but 40 stayed behind.
Aberdeen Coastguard co-ordinated the removal of 74 workers to nearby platforms, assisted by a helicopter from RAF Lossiemouth.
Director Martin Rune Pederson said: “Following this incident, the FPSO was taken into dry-dock and an extensive repair, reinstatement and upgrade programme was instigated with a view to recommencing production.
“The FPSO left dry-dock on August 18 2012 and a phased recommencement of production started on May 26, 2013.
“The company had insurance cover in place in respect of property damage and loss of production income.”
The accounts show that insurance yielded £254million during 2012, and £185million the previous year.
Global insurance broker Willis has estimated the total cost could be as much as £640million, including £325million for business disruption.
In a recent energy-market review, Willis said the accident had proved to be a loss of profound significance to the insurance market, followed last winter by a similar smaller incident involving CNR International’s Banff production vessel in the North Sea.
The two were ranked by Willis among the three biggest upstream losses in 2011-12.