ECO Nears 60th Deepwater Boat

Edison Chouest Offshore (ECO) is nearing completion of its 60th vessel for deepwater operations. This number includes platform supply vessels (PSV) and anchor handling vessels (AHTS). The sixtieth vessel is the last of a series of five 260' vessels with 3,500 tons of deadweight cargo capacity. ECO owns and operates 122 offshore vessels of all types, including 62 certified dynamically positioned (DP) vessels. Deliveries for the second half of 2002 include: one 260' PSV, one 280' PSV, one 348' AHTS, and one 165' fast supply vessel (FSV). The 348' AHTS , the M/V LANEY CHOUEST, will have 30,000 HP and will be one of the largest offshore vessels in the world. The 280' PSV will have in excess of 4,500 tons of deadweight cargo capacity and will be the first of six vessels with the same capacity. All six of the 280' vessels will be delivered prior to the end of 2003. All vessels, except the 165' aluminum FSV, will have dynamic positioning systems certified to ABS DP-2 requirements. "All of our deepwater vessels have redundancy features in excess of DP certification requirements," says company President & CEO Gary Chouest. "ECO has developed these redundancy requirements in cooperation with customers owning deepwater structures that are concerned about vessel impacts to those structures." To date, ECO "TLP (tension leg platform) certified" vessels have made over 3,500 successful approaches to TLP structures in the Gulf of Mexico.