Craig Group has launched the Grampian Defiance, the last of four new-build emergency rescue and response vessels (ERRVs) at Balenciaga Shipyard in Northern Spain.
The Grampian Defiance is part of the series of new D class ERRVs that are being built under the company’s £35m investment programme.
All four new ERRVs will be managed by North Star Shipping, a subsidiary of Craig Group, and will be engaged in the UK offshore industry to support 50 installations in the North Sea.
Balenciaga Shipyard in Northern Spain has built all four vessels and in the last nine years it has delivered 19 vessels to Craig.
Designed by IMT of Montrose, the vessels are designated as NSS-IMT 950s and each ship is fitted with one or two daughter craft and one fast rescue craft.
The investment in D Class vessels is part of the £215m new-build programme by the Craig Group, which began in 2003.
In February this year, North Star Shipping set out plans to invest £50m to build new vessels at Astilleros Balenciaga in Spain, following a contract with Talisman Energy (UK).
Under the deal, North Star will build two new platform supply vessels (PSV) to support Talisman’s North Sea operations.
The two PSVs will be of IMT-982 design, having a length of 83m and a beam of 18m, with scheduled delivery in the second and fourth quarters of 2013.
They will have diesel electric propulsion systems that offer greater fuel economy and efficiency.
Currently, the company has a fleet of 35 vessels, including a mix of platform supply, tanker assist, ROV survey, and emergency response and rescue vessels.
Image: Grampian Defiance is expected to secure a contract from DONG E&P in September to support its North Sea operations. Photo: Craig group
