Chouest to build new design Ulstein OCV in U.S.

SX165 Offshore Construction Vessel

NOVEMBER 25, 2013 — Edison Chouest Offshore and Island Offshore are ordering two new offshore construction vessels through the company Island Ventures II LLC. One vessel will be built in the U.S. at one of Chouest’s own shipyards. The other will be built at Ulstein Verft, Norway.

The vessels are being built to Ulstein’s newly developed SX165 design. With a length of 145.7 m (478 ft) and beam of 28 m (92 ft), it provides accommodations for 200 people and is equipped with two cranes that can lift 400 tons and 140 tons, respectively. There is a large moon pool measuring 11.2 m by 12 m plus two smaller moon pools with ROVs installed in a centrally located hangar. The vessel has a total of three separate engine rooms to provide extreme operational reliability: if a major error occurs and one of the engine rooms goes out of service, the ship will still have two-thirds of her operational capacity

“We are very pleased to develop the next generation of offshore vessels together with Edison Chouest Offshore and Island Offshore,” says Ulstein Group CEO Gunvor Ulstein. They are companies with solid and extensive experience. We have worked very well together on other innovative projects, and look forward to delivering a high-quality product that will serve the ship owners well for years to come.”

The vessel to be built at Ulstein Verft will be the largest vessel built at the shipyard so far, as well as its largest single shipbuilding contract. The vessel is scheduled for delivery third quarter 2015.

“This is a demanding and challenging construction project, which suits us in every respect,” says Kristian Sætre, managing director, Ulstein Verft. “We have a solid organisation that will carry out all the engineering work. Our group can offer world-class yard facilities and designs which attract attention from both crews and shipowners. We are ready, and looking forward to the assignment,” says Kristian Sætre, managing director, Ulstein Verft.

Island Ventures II LLC has ordered design and engineering packages for the construction of the SX165 design vessel to be built by Edison Chouest in the U.S. The agreement includes options. It will be the first Ulstein designed vessel to be constructed in the U.S.

Health, safety and the environment have been fully considered in the development of the SX165 design. For example, the vessel will be delivered in accordance with the international regulation MLC2006 that sets out the comfort and safety requirements for the crew. The ship has four lifeboats, two on each side. In addition, the vessel is equipped with SCR catalyst system for NOx emission reduction.

“We look forward to adding these vessels to our fleet. The cooperation between our companies is excellent and we look forward to working with Ulstein on the construction of these multifunctional vessels,” says Edison Chouest Offshore CEO Gary Chouest.

Island Offshore’s current fleet includes four vessels from Ulstein. In addition, a construction vessel for Island Ventures II LLC is currently under construction at Ulstein Verft for delivery in June 2014.