Deals this week: Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI), Singapore’s Keppel Shipyard, Vard Holdings

Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a group of technology developers, aimed at helping smaller information and communications technology (ICT) companies in developing new ship service software for application on 'Smart Ships' by 2019.

The partners involved in the MoU include SK Shipping, Intel, Microsoft, the Ulsan Center for Creative Economy & Innovation (UCCEI), and the Daejeon Center for Creative Economy & Innovation (DCCEI).

HHI and SK Shipping will offer technological mentoring services and smart ship platforms for the software, whereas UCCEI and DCCEI will conduct briefing sessions on technology demand for shipbuilders and shipping liners.

The new software will facilitate the inspection of ballast tank, remote medical treatment services for crews, virtual reality training, automatic voyage information reporting, and maintenance for key equipment.

Keppel Shipyard, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Keppel Offshore & Marine (Keppel O&M) has won four separate offshore and shipping contracts worth approximately S$120m ($89m) from repeat customers.

The first contract was awarded by BW Catcher, a 100% subsidiary of BW Offshore, the second was awarded by Sofec, the third by Saipem Offshore Norway, and the fourth by Woodside Energy.

The first will involve the installation and integration of topside modules for a new floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel, to be deployed at the Premier Oil-operated Catcher Field in central North Sea, UK.

The second contract involves the fabrication of an internal turret mooring system for a FPSO that will operate in Maersk Oil's Culzean Field in the UK North Sea.

The third contract involves the upgrade of the Castorone pipelay vessel, whereas the fourth involves the modification and upgrade of the FPSO Ngujima-Yin to support the Greater Enfield project offshore Western Australia.

Vard Holdings’ subsidiary, Vard Electro, has been awarded an Nkr100m ($12m) engineering and electrical installation package contract by Cammell Laird Shiprepairers & Shipbuilders.

The services will be rendered on RRS Sir David Attenborough, UK’s new polar research vessel being built for the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).

Vard Electro will develop and provide engineering services to the shipyard, complete the electro installation on-board, and supply related systems and products. The vessel will be equipped with Vard’s proprietary SeaQ communications system, as well as remote management systems.