Offshore staff

ABERDEEN, UK -- Vroon Offshore Services Ltd., formerly called Viking Offshore Services, has taken delivery of the second vessel in a £55-million ($109-million) newbuild program.

VOSL, which assumed its new identity following its acquisition at the end of May by Dutch shipping company Vroon Offshore BV, hosted an official naming ceremony for the Viking Explorer at Aberdeen harbor.

"We are pleased to accept delivery of the second of nine vessels in what is one of the most ambitious newbuild programs undertaken in our sector," says Graham Philip VOSL chief executive. "The new-build program is also testimony to VOSL's confidence in its long-term growth strategy in the European offshore energy market."

The 55-m (180.4-ft)Viking Explorer is of the new IMT 955 design by IMT Marine Consultants of Montrose, Scotland. It carries a series of enhanced recovery and rescue features as well as class-leading capabilities for in-field logistic services, Vroon says.

The Astilleros Zamakona shipyard in Spain is constructing all of the new vessels, which are of similar design. The vessels are to be delivered in a rolling program until early 2009.

5/31/2007