Offshore staff

ZOETERMEER, The Netherlands --Seaway Heavy Lifting has contracted the Merwede shipyard in The Netherlands to build a new 183 m (600-ft) long, Class 3 DP crane vessel.

The monohull vessel will have an innovative hull shape (patent pending) that will allow it to reach a transit speed of 14 knots. It will also feature a crane with a revolving lift capacity of 5,000 metric tons (5,511 tons), with accommodation for up to 395 personnel.

The $460 million newbuild should be delivered early in 2010. Basic design started in mid-2005, and long lead items are on order.

Seaway hopes the vessel will expand its global reach. It currently installs platforms in Europe, the Middle East, India, and Mexico using the 2,500 metric ton (2,755 ton) lift crane vesselStanislav Yudin.

5/29/2007