Bumi Armada’s subsidiary Armada Offshore MPSV has finalised a $130m contract with Malaysia-based shipbuilder Nam Cheong to build four multi-purpose platform support vessels (MPSVs).
The contract follows a letter of intent signed with Nam Cheong Dockyard (NCD) on 20 June 2012, which includes an option for four additional vessels.
All four ABS Class MPSVs will have a length of 88.8m, cargo capacity of 5,000dwt and come equipped with dynamic positioning 2 system (DP2).
Each vessel will be capable of accommodating 60 people and will be designed to support offshore deepwater activities with multi-purpose functions of transporting cargo, oil recovery and standby/rescue work.
The vessels will feature diesel-electric propulsion, will be built to fire fighting class 1 and will accommodate a 100t heave compensated crane, helideck, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) facility and moon pool.
Bumi Armada executive director and CEO Hassan Basma said the four MPSVs are part of the company’s OSV expansion programme, Steel on Water 2 (SOW 2), which is aimed at developing a greener, cleaner, safer and more efficient fleet for the firm.
"As oil exploration and production moves further from shore to deeper, harsher waters coupled with increased safety and operational requirements post-Macondo, there is a corresponding increase in demand for larger, safer, fuel-efficient and technically-more sophisticated deepwater vessels," Basma said.
Construction of the MPSVs will be carried out at one of Nam Cheong’s subcontracted yards in China.
SOW 2 follows the Steel on Water 1 programme, which added 20 vessels to Bumi Armada’s fleet in 2010.
Image: The four ABS Class MPSVs to be built by Nam Cheong for Armada Offshore will have a length of 88.8m and cargo capacity of 5,000dwt. Photo: Bumi Armada.
