Siem orders wind farm installation support vessel

OCTOBER 11, 2012 — Siem Offshore has entered into a shipbuilding contract with Fjellstrand AS in Norway covering the construction of one Installation Support Vessel, for March 2014 delivery, with an option for one additional vessel.

The vessel will be used for operations in the offshore renewable energy sector (offshore wind, in other words) and for offshore oil and gas installation, repair, maintenance and general service duties.

It will be of Ulstein SX 163 X-Bow design with a diesel electric propulsion system and with two Voith Schneider Rudder ECS propeller units, to provide exceptional with respect to fuel efficiency, seakeeping, station keeping and speed.

Siem says the  gross project cost for the first vessel, ready for operation, is approximately $55 million. Fjellstrand says its contract is worth NOK 300 million (about $52.3 million).

Fjellstrand AS says the hull will be built outside Norway and outfitting will be performed at its  Omastrand shipyard on the Hardanger fjord.

Siem Offshore reported the contract the same day that it announced that it had declared options at STX OSV for the design and construction of two additional 120m Offshore Subsea Construction Vessels (see earlier story).