On June 22, a joint venture established by CIMC Raffles, renowned Norwegian offshore vessel owner Solstad Offshore, and global leading marine energy solutions provider SBM Offshore officially signed a construction contract for one new-generation deepwater multi-purpose offshore engineering installation and construction vessel.
Solstad Offshore, headquartered in Norway, is one of the world’s leading offshore vessel owners, possessing a premier fleet of high-end offshore vessels and extensive project operation experience in offshore oil and gas development, offshore engineering construction, and offshore new energy.
SBM Offshore, headquartered in the Netherlands, is a key enterprise in the global marine energy industry and a global leader in the design, construction, installation, and long-term operation of Floating Production Storage and Offloading units (FPSOs), with deep technical expertise and global project experience in deepwater oil and gas development and integrated engineering services.
This offshore engineering installation and construction vessel is promoted by a joint venture co-invested by Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore, with Solstad Offshore holding 50.1% and SBM Offshore holding 49.9%. After delivery, the vessel will be operated and managed by Solstad Offshore, with SBM Offshore having priority usage rights and securing stable demand for its core offshore engineering projects through a long-term charter.
The joint venture has signed an initial 14-year charter with SBM Offshore, guaranteeing a minimum usage of 270 days per year. SBM Offshore has options to extend the charter period annually and for a maximum additional extension of 11 years.
The project is based on the long-term cooperation experience between Solstad Offshore and SBM Offshore and the mature operational system of the jointly operated “Normand Installer” vessel. It has been optimized and upgraded in design in collaboration with Salt Ship Design, tailored to the latest demands of the current deepwater offshore engineering market. The new vessel will primarily serve FPSO and subsea engineering installation operations, capable of covering complex shallow and deepwater conditions, with a maximum operating water depth of 4,000 meters, possessing advanced integrated offshore engineering operational capabilities.
The vessel has a total length of 132.6 meters, a beam of 32 meters, a crew capacity of 100 people, a deadweight of approximately 11,200 tons, installed power of 26,900 kW, and a minimum bollard pull of 300 tons. It is equipped with a 500-ton Active Heave Compensation Crane (AHC Crane), winch system, turntable system, A-frame, Overboarding System (OBS), and Remotely Operated Vehicle Launch and Recovery System (ROV LARS). The vessel is designed and built to methanol-ready requirements, possesses DP2 dynamic positioning capability, and is classed with DNV.
In recent years, CIMC Raffles has continuously深耕 the high-end offshore engineering equipment field, accumulating extensive design, construction, and project delivery experience in FPSOs, offshore platforms, offshore support vessels, and special engineering vessels, forming a comprehensive international engineering management and manufacturing system. The signing of this project fully reflects the high recognition from leading international offshore engineering companies of CIMC Raffles’ comprehensive design and construction capabilities and project execution ability, further consolidating the company’s competitive advantage in the global high-end offshore engineering equipment market.
In the future, CIMC Raffles will continue to adhere to high-standard, high-quality project execution principles, fully leverage its technical and manufacturing advantages in the high-end offshore engineering equipment field, deepen collaborative cooperation with global leading customers, jointly create a new generation of world-leading deepwater offshore engineering installation and construction vessels, and continuously contribute to the high-quality development of the global marine energy industry.
Excluding the latest order, data from Clarksons shows that as of now, CIMC Raffles holds a total orderbook of 33 vessels totaling 3.49 million deadweight tons, including 12 container ships, 6 offshore vessels, 5 car carriers, 4 ro-ro ships, 4 oil tankers, and 2 other vessels, with delivery schedules extending to 2030.
