Keppel to build environment friendly vessel

July 28, 2008
Keppel Singmarine Pte Ltd. has secured a $132.8-million contract to build a multi-purpose heavylift / pipelay vessel for Romanian drilling contractor, Grup Servicii Petroliere SA (GSP).

Offshore staff

SINGAPORE -- Keppel Singmarine Pte Ltd. has secured a $132.8-million contract to build a multi-purpose heavylift / pipelay vessel for Romanian drilling contractor, Grup Servicii Petroliere SA (GSP).

To be classed by the American Bureau of Shipping, this vessel will meet international environmental standards. The vessel will be certified with the new environmental safety notation, which provides stringent guidelines on preventing pollution, minimizing the discharge of harmful substances and emissions, and the treatment of sewage.

GSP's new vessel is scheduled for completion in 3Q 2011, and will be deployed to the Black Sea and Mediterranean regions.

"Customers are seeking more sustainable means of mining oil and gas, and we are seeing a gradual increase in orders for specialized ships that are environmentally safe," says Hoe Eng Hock, executive director of Keppel Singmarine.

With accommodations for 290 people, the heavylift / pipelay vessel will be equipped with three offshore cranes, the largest of which has a lifting capacity of 1,800 metric-tons (1,984 tons), and it will be fitted with a 10-point mooring anchor system.

The machinery systems onboard will include three units of Voith Schneider propellers for main propulsion, five retractable azimuth thrusters for positioning, and a DP-3 system. Some of the equipment will be supplied by the owner.

07/28/2008