North Sea Shipping has entered into a long term charter agreement with Technip for a new built offshore construction vessel of design ST-261.The charter will be for a period of five years, alternatively seven years firm, plus a five-year option period. The vessel will be built at Bergen Group BMV AS in Bergen and will be delivered in second quarter 2014.

The vessel is specially designed and equipped for deep water subsea work, in addition to serving the North Sea subsea market. It has a length of 142 metres and width of 27 metres and will have DP class III. It will be equipped with a diesel electric propulsion plant consisting of four generator sets (4200 Kw each), two main azimuth propellers aft (4500 Kw each), two tunnel thrusters fwd (2200 kw each) and two retractable azimuth thrusters fwd (2000 kw each). On deck it will be equipped with a 400-ton AHC Offshore crane and a 50-ton AHC Offshore crane, Moonpool of 7.2 x 7.2 metres, two Integrated ROV hangars with LARS systems and a 2,000-ton carousel for storage of umbilical/flexible pipes below deck. It will have capacity to accommodate 120 persons.

The vessel’s design specification meets the highest requirements for subsea work for deepwater operations worldwide.

North Sea Shipping is very pleased to be awarded this long term contract with Technip and it confirms North Sea Shipping’s position as one of the leading providers of large offshore construction vessel services.

NSS are looking forward to the co-operation with Technip and will together offer first class offshore construction services.