Joint venture creates Indian offshore service center

Offshore staff

SINGAPORE – Sembawang Shipyard and Kakinada Seaports are set to form a joint venture company, Sembmarine Kakinada Ltd. (SKL) providing outfitting support services to offshore and merchant vessels operating in Indian waters.

SKL will be based on India’s east coast between Vishakhapatnam and Chennai Port. Sembawang’s parent company Sembcorp Marine expects the initiative to be well supported by the Indian government and the oil and gas sector.

Kakinada Seaports is the first private port to operate on the Indian east coast, and it is currently one of the country’s busiest ports, according to Sembcorp, serving over 3,500 ship-calls annually.

The new facility will be located nearby, and will be developed in stages. Initially SKL will offer riser/equipment repairs, afloat repairs, and module fabrication. Within three-five years, the aim is to turn the venture into a one-stop integrated offshore service facility also providing repairs and servicing, and newbuild vessel construction

At last week’s formal signing ceremony in New Delhi, Transocean subsidiary Offshore International Ventures, India, was expected to sign an agreement to use SKL’s facilities to support its drilling rigs in the area. Another contract was due to be signed with Asian drilling contractor Aban Offshore for repairs/upgrade work.

11/30/2009