APRIL 28, 2016 — While researchers at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology believe that the future of underwater robotics lies in swimming snakes (see earlier story), their counterparts at Stanford
APRIL 20, 2016 – Bergen, Norway, based DOF Subsea, a subsidiary of DOF ASA, reports that it has been awarded several IMR and subsea installation contracts the past months, with a total
APRIL 18, 2016 — The next big thing in subsea inspection, maintenance and repair? It could be swimming robot snakes. The NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology) and research company Sintef
APRIL 6, 2016 — New subsea technologies and systems must be qualified before use to build confidence that they will function as intended. However, says classification society DNV GL, current subsea technology
JANUARY 15, 2016 — Lockport, LA, headquartered Bordelon Marine reports that Tidewater Subsea has chartered the Jones Act compliant MV Brandon Bordelon for sixty days plus options. Tidewater Subsea is mobilizing two
JANUARY 12, 2016 – Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) group subsea solutions specialist C-Innovation (C-I) is adding AUVs (Autonomous Underwater Vehicles) to its ROV (Remote Operated Vessel) fleet. It has ordered two HUGIN
The highly specialized 257 ft x 52 ft vessel features a helideck, a 60 ton AHC crane with 3,000 m of wire, POB (60), a mezzanine deck with internal office and control rooms capable of supporting two full work class ROV systems. The vessel also offers 6,200 sq. ft. of clear useable deck space.
The Brandon Bordelon is equipped with two Sonardyne Ranger2 Pro thru-hull USBL full systems. Ranger 2 is a high performance acoustic position reference system designed for tracking underwater targets and positioning dynamically positioned (DP) vessels. It uses the Ultra-Short BaseLine (USBL) positioning method to calculate the position of a subsea target, for example an ROV, by measuring the range and bearing from a vessel-mounted transceiver to an acoustic transponder fitted to the target.
The vessel delivers a fully integrated ROV control room, ROV support offices, below deck work and storage spaces, extensive communications and ROV data network, plug and play, with patch panel racks installed — all tied into the vessel systems, bridge, office, and accommodation spaces.
The vessel is designed with removable bulwarks around the entire aft of vessel along with power, water, air, and hydraulic oil connections on the deck.
Four additional below deck Tier 3 generators provide fully redundant power to the crane and ROV systems.
“We are very excited to introduce the M/V Brandon Bordelon,” says CEO Wes Bordelon. “This vessel is the next generation design of the Stingray series and continues our commitment of the ULIV concept to the subsea market. With the addition of a helideck and other integrated systems the Brandon provides an additional highly capable and low cost vessel option to our clients.”
Download the vessel’s specs HERE
The contract has been secured through the Ghanaian entity Eidesvik Ghana Limited, which is operated by Ghanaian partners in cooperation with Eidesvik, and Technip.
The firm contract period is 50 days plus mobilization period with an option for charterers to extend the scope of work by a further 50 days. Work is expected to start in the middle of the fourth quarter of this year.
Designed by Salt Ship Design, the 145 m x 31 m OCV has a 400 ton crane and was delivered by shipbuilder Kleven Verft’s Eidesvik, Norway, shipyard in February 2015.
Eidesvik Offshore says the ship “stands out as an excellent base for complex subsea operations” and with the joint crew from Technip and Eidesvik has delivered excellent performance.
“The vessel has been operating for Technip since she was delivered from the yard and we are very pleased to continue the good relation and cooperation between the Technip and Eidesvik teams onboard the vessel and onshore”, says Jan Fredrik Meling, CEO of Eidesvik Offshore ASA.
The end-user is Tullow Ghana Limited, the operator and part-owner of the TEN field in Ghana.
A priority will be to find a buyer for its flagship Ceona Amazon, delivered by shipbuilder Lloyd Werft, Bremerhaven, in 2014 and hailed as a game-changing deepwater subsea-tie-back and field development asset.
A signal that all was not well at Ceona came on September 4 when Norway’s GC Rieber Shipping said it had terminated a five year charter entered into in March 2014 with Ceona Chartering (UK) Ltd for the subsea vessel Polar Onyx, “by reason of Ceona’s default.”
GC Rieber said Ceona had provided security, in the form of cash deposit in a Norwegian bank, equivalent to nine month’s hire, and that it would seek to recover outstanding and future claims and losses through the cash deposit. In addition, said GC Rieber, it would seek to recover excess amounts through Ceona.
Ceona Ship Holdings Limited, Ceona Ship 1 Limited, Ceona Equipment Limited, Ceona Services (UK) Limited, Ceona Chartering (UK) Limited, Ceona Contracting (UK) Limited and Ceona Investments Limited are being administered by insolvency pactitioners Alan Robert Broom, Alan Michael Hudson and Colin Peter Dempster,
Ceona Crewing Ltd and Ceona Holdings Ltd are being administered by Stuart Arthur Gardner and Mr. Hudson
AUGUST 27, 2015 – Singapore’s Ezra Holdings has entered a binding MOU that will see Japanese engineering giant Chiyoda Corporation invest in Ezra’s Subsea Services business, Emas AMC, to form Emas Chiyoda