Offshore staff

SINGAPORE -- China-based Yantai Raffles Shipyard Ltd. has signed a letter of intent worth $300 million to build two semisubmersible heavy lifters for Consafe Invest AB.

The two 30,000-metric ton (33,069-ton) displacement semisubmersible service and crane vessels will be built according to the Norwegian continental shelf regulations and will be outfitted for maintenance work and lift operations in offshore fields worldwide.

Each unit will have 90 x 60 m (295 x 197 ft) of free deck space. The vessels will be outfitted with two 1,100 metric ton (1,213 ton) revolving cranes over the port side and will have a mounted cantilever over the starboard side to provide more free deck space, the company says. The vessels will have accommodations for 350.

The first vessel, SSCV Safe Lifter, which is to be delivered 18 months from the effective date of the contract, will be outfitted with a conventional 10-point mooring system and also will be prepared for a dynamic positioning system.

The second unit, SSCV Safe Carrier, which is to be delivered within 28 months, will be fully outfitted with a DP system.

Under the LOI, Consafe has the option to order two more similar vessels.

2/14/2007