On 22 June, CIMC Raffles officially signed a shipbuilding contract for a next-generation multi-purpose deepwater Offshore Installation vessel with a joint venture established by Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore.
Headquartered in Norway, Solstad Offshore is one of the world’s leading offshore vessel owners, operating a large fleet of advanced offshore support, subsea construction and installation vessels. The company has extensive experience in offshore oil and gas developments, marine construction and offshore renewable energy projects.
Headquartered in the Netherlands, SBM Offshore is a major player in the global offshore energy industry and a recognized leader in the design, construction, installation and long-term operation of FPSO units. The company possesses extensive expertise in deepwater oil and gas developments and integrated offshore engineering solutions worldwide.
The vessel will be contracted through a newly established joint venture company formed by Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore, with Solstad Offshore holding a 50.1% ownership interest and SBM Offshore holding 49.9%. Upon delivery, the vessel will be owned by the joint venture and managed by Solstad Offshore as ship manager. The joint venture has entered into an initial 14-year charter agreement with SBM Offshore.
Commenting on the contract signing, Lars Peder Solstad, CEO of Solstad Offshore ASA, said:
“This is an important milestone for us and for our partnership with SBM Offshore. We are pleased to have the shipbuilding contract in place and to commence our collaboration with CIMC Raffles on the construction of this next-generation vessel.”
The new-build vessel builds upon the proven operational success of the Construction Support Vessel (CSV) Normand Installer, which has been jointly owned and operated by Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore since 2006. Developed through close collaboration among Solstad Offshore, SBM Offshore and Salt Ship Design, the vessel incorporates the latest requirements of the global deepwater installation and subsea construction market. The design has been optimized to deliver enhanced operational efficiency, flexibility and sustainability for future offshore developments.
Primarily intended for FPSO support, subsea installation and offshore construction activities, the vessel will be capable of performing complex operations in both shallow-water and deepwater environments, with operational capability in water depths of up to 4,000 meters. The vessel will provide advanced integrated subsea construction capabilities and support a broad range of offshore energy projects, including subsea installation, mooring system installation, SURF operations, inspection, maintenance and repair (IMR), and FPSO-related offshore construction activities.
The vessel will have an overall length of 132.6 meters, a beam of 32 meters, and accommodation for up to 100 personnel.
Key mission equipment includes:
- 500-ton Active Heave Compensated (AHC) Crane
• Advanced Deepwater Winch System
• Integrated Carousel System
• A-Frame
• Overboarding Sheave System (OBS)
• Launch and recovery systems (LARS) for Remote Operated Vehicles (ROV)
Designed and constructed to Methanol Ready standards, the vessel will feature DP2 and will be classed by DNV.
In recent years, CIMC Raffles has continuously strengthened its position in the high-end offshore engineering sector, accumulating extensive experience in the design, construction and delivery of FPSOs, offshore platforms, offshore support vessels and specialized engineering vessels.
The signing of this contract demonstrates the strong confidence that leading global offshore companies place in CIMC Raffles’ integrated design, construction and project execution capabilities. It further reinforces the company’s competitive position in the global high-end offshore equipment market and marks another important milestone in the company’s offshore engineering business development.
Looking ahead, CIMC Raffles will continue to leverage its technological expertise, engineering capabilities and manufacturing strengths in high-end offshore equipment. Through deeper collaboration with leading global partners, the company remains committed to delivering world-class next-generation deepwater installation and construction vessels while contributing to the sustainable development of the global offshore energy industry.
Source: CIMC Raffles
