Chouest’s Port Fourchon ‘one-stop shop’ designed to reduce turnaround time
David Paganie
Another key component of the slips is that they contain fuel storage in elevated compartments above an incoming vessel, says Roger White, Chouest senior VP. “Due to the fuel’s elevated position, nothing can fall on the vessel’s fuel line, which could cause a rupture and disrupt turnaround efficiency,” says White. “As a result, we are the only facility in Fourchon that can legally load and unload deck cargo while fueling the vessel.”
Meanwhile, “our one-stop shop facility has reduced loading and unloading time in port from an average of two-and-a-half days to less than 18 hours, resulting in significant cost savings to the customer,” says White. This is accomplished through implementation of Chouest’s C-Logistics operation.
Supply chain management
The name C-Logistics means integrated supply chain management for drilling, production, and construction projects in shelf and deepwater locations in the Gulf, Chouest says.
At the outset of C-Logistics implementation, key performance indicators are fed into the company’s proprietary software to produce the most cost-effective vessel profile and allot deck space, schedule and monitor terminal delivery, staging and loading, identify shipping corridors and define optimum routes, and arrange for dockside support services as required.
“In fact, Shell Oil Co. approached Chouest in the program’s early days, and realized a savings of $20 million after their first year using the service,” says White.
Another advantage for companies consolidating services and establishing a primary logistics base at Port Fourchon is incorporation of C-Logistics’ vessel-sharing agreement, White says.
“The trend now seems to be moving toward sharing of assets,” said White. “Oil companies can get together and sign a single agreement to share vessels and terminals, which results in significant cost savings to the customer.”
“On average, oil companies have realized about a 20% savings in overall logistics costs,” adds Chouest.
Chouest says that it plans to offer this supply chain management model in other regions of the world, including Brazil and West Africa.
Subsea intervention
Chouest is delving into the international subsea intervention business with its established joint venture company, Island Offshore Shipholding LP, owned by the Chouest and Ulstein families.
The JV company was created to save customers money through a combined subsea well intervention and construction service with a single vessel. Island launched its first of 13 planned subsea well intervention vessels, Island Frontier, in 2004 to perform this service.
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Volume 66 Issue 3
March 2006
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