Bourbon Orders 46 Vessels

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Bourbon ordered 3 series of modern offshore service vessels, 46 units for $730m from the Sinopacific shipyards in China (44 vessels) and West Atlantic Shipyard in Nigeria (2 vessels). The two series based on the GPA design identical to the 36 vessels ordered by Bourbon in April 2006: - 28 AHTS GPA 254 supply and anchor-handling tugs with 80 tons traction - 14 PSV GPA 654 platform supply vessels with 1600 tons deadweight. All the 78 new vessels are principally intended for the replacement market operating in the continental offshore in which more than 400 vessels now in service will be over 30 years old by 2010. The characteristics of the new vessels will also make them excellent additional supply vessels for deepwater offshore operations. They are all equipped with diesel-electric propulsion, classes DP2 and FiFi1. Designed to optimize the carrying capacity of various products, they can each transport 640 m3 of liquid mud. - 1 series of 4 PSV, Ulstein PX105 MACS supply vessels, 4400 tons deadweight, 88.8 m long, with the X-BowTM and the PG-MACSTM system. This new series is the culmination Bourbon, while 4 others have already proven their operational value in the Bourbon fleet since 2005. Equipped with diesel electric propulsion, classes DP2 and FiFi1, and a double hull. The series includes two innovations: the positioning of engine exhaust on the water line, which does away with the funnel thus allowing a 360degrees panoramic view from the bridge, and above all the MACS(TM) (Multi Application Cargo Solution) system which increases storage capacity in the hold and enables different types of cargo to be stored. With these additional 46 vessels, Bourbon's Offshore Division has a total of 110 supply vessels on order as of February 28. Deliveries will be made up to September 2011, when BOURBON will have the most up-to-date fleet on the market.