Module Carrier News

Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) has signed a basic contract for the marine transport of offshore wind components with JFE Engineering Corporation, while also agreeing to build a new module carrier vessel with Taizhou Sanfu Ship Engineering.This will be first coastal module carrier in Japan to transport components for offshore wind turbine foundation components, according to MOL. MOL DrybulkThe vessel is scheduled for delivery in the spring of 2026, and will then engage in the coastal transport of offshore wind turbine foundations from JFE Engineering's manufacturing base in Kasaoka-shi…

ABB announced Monday it has won a contract to supply the digital solution ABB Ability Marine Advisory System – OCTOPUS to Roll Group’s recently delivered vessel, BigRoll Biscay.BigRoll Biscay is the eighth vessel in Dutch heavy lift specialist’s fleet to rely on ABB marine software, which improves the safety and efficiency of ship operations by optimizing the route based on weather and forecasted vessel motions.Vessel motion monitoring and forecasting is critical for heavy lift vessels that need to move safely when in transit.

Roll Group announced it has added another module carrier into its fleet as the Netherlands-based company eyes growing prospects in the oil and gas and offshore wind markets.On January 6, 2020, the firm took ownership of a 2015-built vessel, soon to be painted in Roll Group livery and renamed as BigRoll Biscay.With a length of 146m, a width of 32m and 12,285t deadweight, the module carrier is smaller than the others in the Roll Group fleet – BigRoll Bering and BigRoll Beaufort – but has a wider deck space than the RollDock dock type vessels…

With 13 new contracts secured in Q4 2017, VARD Holdings Limited's order intake of NOK 3.79 billion in the quarter increased the full year order intake ended December 31, 2017 to NOK 8.28 billion. The new contracts include a luxury polar expedition cruise vessel for a return customer, PONANT. The vessel is the first electric hybrid cruise icebreaker with dual fuel propulsion, featuring high-capacity batteries and LNG storage on board. The vessel is specially designed to take passengers to polar destinations. Having strengthened its position in the fisheries and aquaculture market during the year, VARD was also awarded contracts for seven trawlers, two fish farming operation platforms, and three service/freight-and-service vessels.

The newly built offshore construction vessel Island Venture features three SCHOTTEL Combi Drives of type SCD 710 (formerly SCD 3040) in the Rudderpropeller version with an input power of 3,300 kW each, giving the multifunctional vessel increased maneuverability for a wide range of applications. Island Venture is the product of a European joint venture with building work carried out at two different locations. While the stern was produced at the Crist shipyard in Poland, the bow was built at Ulstein Verft in Norway, where both parts were also assembled.

On 23 November 2016, Cosco Dalian Shipyard Co. Ltd handed over BigRoll Baffin, the third MC-Class Module Carrier for BigRoll Shipping, to her owners. The first two state-of-the-art MC-Class Module Carriers, BigRoll Barentsz and BigRoll Bering were handed over earlier this year. Both vessels have already executed several challenging voyages and did perform according to expectations and demonstrated excellent service speeds and vessel motions. Delivery of the last vessel of the series, BigRoll Beaufort, is expected in March 2017. BigRoll Beaufort will complete this unique series of four identical deck carriers, offering reliability and flexibility to the market.

Designer and builder of specialized vessels Vard Holdings Limited announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2016 (3Q 2016) and nine months ended September 30, 2016 (9M 2016). VARD said its diversification strategy is continuing to yield promising results, generating strong order flows in 3Q 2016. A total of seven new contracts were garnered by the group during the quarter, in addition to the confirmation of an order for four ice-class expedition…

Vard Holdings Limited has secured a contract for the design and construction of two additional Module Carrier Vessels for Topaz Energy and Marine (“Topaz”). The vessels, of VARD 9 21 design and measuring 123 by 16.5 meters, are sister ships of a series of 15 identical Module Carrier Vessels previously contracted by Topaz for delivery from VARD’s shipyards in Tulcea and Braila in Romania, and Vung Tau in Vietnam. They will be operated by Topaz through a consortium led by Blue Water Shipping. One of the additional vessels will be built at Vard Braila and one at Vard Vung Tau. Delivery of both vessels is scheduled in 2Q 2018. The aggregate contract price is close to USD 40 million.

Jotron AS, a manufacturer of professional communication systems for land, sea and air safety, has announced that it has secured two contracts for delivery of telephone communication and Public Address (PA) systems to 3 and 15 new module carrier vessels. The communication systems are forecasted for installation during 2017 and 2018. Jotron has designed and produced ship internal communication and offshore / onshore PA&GA systems since 1979. Jotron products are carefully designed and built for harsh maritime and offshore environments.

J.M. J.M. Baxi Group, a 100-year-old group of companies specializing in maritime logistics and port infrastructure, has commissioned United Heavy Lift for the commercial management of its newly constructed deck carrier, the MV Vir Varenya. The heavy-lift module carrier has now been added to the charter fleet of United Heavy Lift, and is managed globally from the company's head office in Hamburg. United Heavy Lift, which specializes in project transportation and the commercial management of heavy cargo vessels…

Vard Holdings Limited announced that it has secured a contract for the design and construction of three Module Carrier Vessels for Kazmortransflot (KMTF). The contract win was previously disclosed on July 29, 2016. The vessels, of VARD 9 28 design, will be operated by KMTF through a consortium led by Blue Water Shipping. The vessels, measuring 113 by 22 meters, are designed for transport in the Caspian Sea. All three vessels will be built at Vard Braila in Romania. Delivery is scheduled between 3Q 2017 and 1Q 2018. The aggregate contract price is approximately $70 million. The National Maritime Shipping Company “Kazmortransflot” is the National Maritime Carrier of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

New order intake of NOK 6.2 billion from contract wins for 19 vessels. Vard Holdings Limited (“VARD”, and together with its subsidiaries, the “Group”), one of the major global designers and shipbuilders of offshore and specialised vessels, today announced its financial results for the second quarter (“2Q 2016”) and first half (“1H 2016”) ended 30 June 2016. VARD is committed to fostering new networks and growing its customer base beyond its traditional core markets, and has seen encouraging results thus far. Over the past quarter, the Group secured a total of 19 new shipbuilding contracts for a total new order intake of NOK 6.2 billion, making 2Q 2016 the best quarter in terms of order acquisition since 2013.

PALFINGER MARINE Winches and Offshore Equipment has signed a contract for the supply of complete winch packages to 15 Module Carrier Vessels being built for Topaz Energy and Marine. The vessels, of VARD 9 21 design, are developed by Vard Design to navigate the shallow river systems as they transport modules through the Russian waterways to oilfields in Kazakhstan. Measuring 123 by 16.5 meters, the vessels are designed to carry high deck loads of up to 1,800 tons. he vessels will be operated by Topaz through a consortium led by Blue Water Shipping for the end-client Tengizchevroil.

On April 6, Mammoet, a service provider specializing in engineered heavy lifting and transport, completed a load-out of the first set of four modules bound for the FPSO (Floating Production, Storage and Offloading) P66 vessel. This is the first of eight FPSOs currently under construction for oil production in Brazil. The end client, TUPI BV, is a consortium composed of Petrobras Netherlands BV (PNBV, 65 percent), the British Gas Group (BG Group, 25 percent) and Galp Energia S.A. (10 percent), working on the ongoing development of the Lula Alto field, located in the Santos Basin, Brazil.

Presenting its financial results for the first quarter ended 31 March 2016 today Vard Holdings Limited announced a net profit of NOK 43 million for the period, as compared to a loss of NOK 226 million a year back. Over the past quarter, VARD had focused on efforts to grow in new markets while streamlining its cost structure, to weather the effects of the ongoing oil and gas down cycle. With its core market for high-specification offshore vessels showing continued signs of weakness, the Group had strengthened its expertise and networks in new markets, recording breakthroughs in the expedition cruise vessel and aquaculture markets. Revenue fell 34% year-on-year to NOK 2.02 billion in 1Q2016…

Vard Holdings Limited secured a contract for the design and construction of 15 Module Carrier Vessels for Topaz Energy and Marine. The vessels, of VARD 9 21 design, are specially developed by Vard Design to navigate the shallow river systems as they transport modules through the Russian waterways to oilfields in Kazakhstan. Measuring 123 by 16.5 meters, the vessels are designed to carry high deck loads of up to 1800 tons. The vessels will be operated by Topaz through a consortium led by Blue Water Shipping for the end-client Tengizchevroil. Five of the vessels will be built at Vard Braila and four at Vard Tulcea in Romania, while the remaining six will be built at Vard Vung Tau in Vietnam. Delivery is scheduled between 3Q 2017 and 2Q 2018.

While Cosco’s orderbook of US$8 billion seems hefty, the shipbuilding contracts are of low value, says a report in SBR. The orderbook may do the company more harm than good. As at 31 December 2015, Cosco’s order book stood at USD 8 billion with progressive deliveries up to early 2018. New orders received in 2015 include 7 container vessels, 2 cargo transfer vessels, 2 oil tankers, 1 shuttle tanker, 1 module carrier, 1 tanker assist/emergency response/rescue/field support vessel, 1 research vessel, 1 product oil tanker and 1 FPSO conversion. The shipbuilding contracts in Cosco’s orderbook are of low value, points out a research report from DBS.

BigRoll Shipping announces that it has contracted COSCO Dalian Shipyard Co., LTD to build a third MC Class Module Carrier. She will be named BigRoll Baffin and is scheduled for delivery in June 2016. Bigroll Shipping last year in September ordered two vessels of the same type with options two order two more. The BigRoll Barentsz is the first of two MC Class Module Carriers ordered last year for the transportation of ultra large and heavy modular cargoes. The vessel is scheduled for delivery mid August 2015. Its sister vessel BigRoll Bering will follow in October 2015. The vessel’s overall length will 173 m with a beam of 42 m, giving the vessels a deck space of 42 by 125 m. According to Bigroll, the deck is completely free of manholes, air heads etc.

1. COSCO (Qidong) Offshore Co., Ltd Contract from a Singapore entity to build one (1) Floating Accommodation Unit (FAU) scheduled for delivery in 1Q2017. The buyer has also secured options for five (5) additional FAUs. 2. COSCO (Dalian) Shipyard Co., Ltd The contract under the first option cited in the announcement dated 12 September 2013 to build one (1) 21,000DWT Module Carrier for a European company has been rendered effective. The vessel is scheduled for delivery in 2Q2016. Save for their respective shareholdings in the Company, none of the directors or controlling shareholders of the Company has any interest, direct or indirect in the contracts.

NYK and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. are to begin experiments on an air-lubrication system to reduce CO2 emissions during marine transport. Jointly developed by the two companies, the system effectively reduces the frictional resistance between a vessel's bottom and the seawater by means of bubbles generated by supplying air to the vessel's bottom. The installation of the system using an air-blower is expected to reduce CO2 emissions by approximately 10 percent. The experiments will be conducted using module carriers operated by an NYK Group company, NYK-Hinode Line, Ltd. Module carriers are special heavy load carrier with roll-on…