On July 15, the construction of the hull for the sixth Fast4Ward® multipurpose floating production, storage, and offloading vessel (FPSO), MPF6, commenced at China State Shipbuilding Corporation’s Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. (SWS) for Dutch company SBM OFFSHORE.
The MPF6 hull adopts SBM OFFSHORE’s proprietary universal Fast4Ward hull design. The base configuration is an FPSO with a crude oil storage capacity of up to 2.3 million barrels. This standardized MPF design features a multi-point mooring system, enabling the hull to adapt to a wide range of sea conditions from West Africa to South America.
Thanks to long-term friendly cooperation and efficient communication between the two parties, SWS has successfully delivered five universal FPSO hulls to SBM OFFSHORE since the first delivery in 2019. The commencement of MPF6 marks SWS’s established capability for continuous construction of such standardized hulls and reflects market demand for this design.
The Fast4Ward FPSO is SBM’s innovative “universal” FPSO design concept, with a base configuration of 2 million barrels of crude oil storage. The hull measures 333 meters in length, 60 meters in width, and 33 meters in depth, with a displacement of 460,000 tons, making it the world’s largest and highest-capacity new-generation offshore floating production and storage facility.
The Fast4Ward FPSO includes a standardized newbuild hull along with a series of topside modules and mooring system solutions, effectively reducing construction time and costs while fully meeting localization requirements. Compared to traditional FPSOs, this hull offers broader applications and stronger adaptability, suitable for diverse marine environments such as the Gulf of Mexico, West Africa, and Brazil. Its production cycle can be shortened by 6 to 12 months, significantly improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
SBM initially ordered its first Fast4Ward FPSO from SWS in 2017, setting a record for the highest-value order since SWS’s establishment in 2007. This also marked SWS’s strong return to the FPSO newbuild market a decade after successfully delivering a 2-million-barrel FPSO project for U.S.-based ConocoPhillips in 2007.
At the end of last year, SWS officially signed a contract with SBM for the construction of the sixth universal FPSO hull. Compared to previous vessels, the MPF6 features an expanded living area, increased from 180 square meters to 240 square meters.
In addition to SWS, SBM has also ordered four Fast4Ward FPSOs from China Merchants Industry. The hull of the first vessel, “Sepetiba,” was completed in July 2021 and delivered in June 2023 after final assembly by Bomesc Offshore Engineering. The second vessel, “Almirante Tamandare,” is scheduled for completion and delivery in August 2024.
