Merwede Shipyard News

Norway's Subsea 7 S.A. awarded 3 contracts from Petrobras with a combined value (at the time of contract signature) of approximately US$1.6 billion for the construction & operation of three new-build flexible pipe-lay support vessels (PLSVs). The work scope of each of these 5 year contracts is similar to that of the PLSVs which Subsea 7 currently operates offshore Brazil, comprising project management, engineering and installation of flowlines, umbilicals and equipment supplied by Petrobras.

Following the launch of the IHC Beaver 65 DDSP in February, the first vessel has been sold to Advanced Construction Company, a member of the Al Geithy Group, based in Saudi Arabia. Testing was successful completed at IHC Merwede’s shipyard in Sliedrecht, The Netherlands, in early March and delivery to Jeddah will be organized in the second quarter of this year. After delivery the dredger will begin work in the Red Sea. The new vessel succeeds the highly successful IHC Beaver 6518 and belongs to the renowned IHC Beaver  series of standard cutter suction dredgers.

The vessel will be ready in the first half of 2013. The contract for the vessel’s design, construction and delivery was signed on 20 December 2010. The Artemis is a sister vessel to the Athena, which was delivered at the end of 2011. Since Van Oord took receipt of the Athena, it has deployed the large cutter suction dredger successfully on various projects. Construction of the two ships has been a major boost for the Dutch economy. Owner: Van Oord 
Shipyard: IHC Dredgers B.V. ‘Construction of the Artemis is in line with Van Oord’s strategy of operating in every single category of the dredging market,’ says Pieter van Oord, CEO.

Wärtsilä has been contracted to supply integrated power solutions to six new offshore Pipe Laying Vessels (PLVs) being built for operation in Brazilian waters. The majority of these orders were booked before the second quarter of 2012. The PLVs will be operating for the Brazilian multinational corporation Petrobras for the construction of pipelines from offshore oil rigs to the mainland. The six vessels are to be built by three different companies at yards in the Netherlands, Brazil and South Korea. The Wärtsilä solutions selected for the six vessels include design, main engines, and propellers and will be delivered during the fourth quarter of 2012 and the first quarter of 2013.

The Ambiorix is one of the most powerful and advanced cutter suction dredgers in the world and was built for the DEME Group at the IHC Merwede shipyard in Hardinxveld-Giessendam, the Netherlands. The new dredger is able to dredge to a water depth of 35 meters and can work heavy soil and hard rock. The Ambiorix is equipped with two inboard dredge pumps and one submerged dredge pump on the cutter ladder. It also has a barge-loading system, which can load barges moored alongside the dredger. The flexible spud carrier includes a spud force limiting system which enables dredging during challenging weather conditions. The dredging process is entirely touch screen operated…

A ceremony for the largest ever working capital guarantee issued by Atradius Dutch State Business – on behalf of the Dutch Government – took place on April 5, 2012 at IHC Merwede’s shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel. With this finance agreement in place, IHC Merwede will start work on the construction of two pipe-laying vessels for its Malaysian customer SapuraCrest. The ships are part of a recent offshore order worth €450 million and will install flexible pipelines in Brazilian waters, where large quantities of oil have been discovered. The delivery dates for the vessels, which will be built in The Netherlands, have been set for May and August, 2014, respectively.

The launch ceremony for the NEPTUNE took place on 23 September 2011 at the IHC Merwede shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel, The Netherlands. The self-elevating heavy-lift jack-up vessel is being built by IHC Merwede for GeoSea NV, the offshore marine construction specialist company within the DEME Group, based in Belgium. The contract for the detailed design, construction and delivery of the vessel was signed between GeoSea and IHC Merwede on 16 September 2010 and the keel was laid on 25 March 2011.

The Oceangoing vessels division of Van der Velden Marine Systems has delivered the largest in-house designed BARKE rudders in its history. The two flap-type rudders have been installed onboard the 30,000 m³ trailing suction hopper dredger Congo River. Built for the DEME Group, the trailing suction hopper dredger was launched on 21 January at the IHC Merwede shipyard in Krimpen aan den IJssel (NL). Designed by the Product Design Department of Van der Velden Barkemeyer GmbH, the two BARKE rudders each have a rudder area of 30 m2 while each flap has an area of 7.5 m2.

The Seven Atlantic has been designed by Merwede Shipyard in close liaison with Subsea 7 and the dive spread manufacturer. It is a fully Dynamic Positioned Diving Support / Offshore Construction Vessel, suitable for worldwide operations. The introduction of this DSV to the market will provide Subsea 7 with one of the most versatile and advanced diving vessels currently available.

Subsea 7 Inc announced that it has signed a contract for the construction of a new-build pipelay and construction vessel. The overall project cost is in the region of USD 190 million and is based on fixed prices from the Merwede shipyard. The vessel will have an overall length of 133m and a beam of 24m. She will be equipped with a pipelay suite for installing flexible flowlines and umbilicals, including a Vertical Lay System tower and twin underdeck carousels, a 250t crane from Huisman and twin 3000m-rated ROVs. The ship is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2010. The vessel further enhances Subsea 7's pipelay capabilities, particularly in deepwater.

Subsea 7 signed a contract for the construction of a new-build pipelay and construction vessel. The overall project cost is in the region of $190m and is based on fixed prices from the Merwede shipyard. The vessel will have an overall length of 133m and a beam of 24m. She will be equipped with a pipelay suite for installing flexible flowlines and umbilicals, including a Vertical Lay System tower and twin underdeck carousels, a 250t crane from Huisman and twin 3000m-rated ROVs. The ship is expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2010. The vessel further enhances Subsea 7's pipelay capabilities, particularly in deepwater. Mel Fitzgerald, Subsea 7's Chief Executive Officer, stated: "We have invested in excess of $1bn in new vessels and equipment between 2006 - 2008.

Imtech received an order from the Sembawang Shipyard in Singapore to provide the environmentally friendly (diesel) electric propulsion, automation and high and low voltage systems on board the ‘Borealis’, a crane vessel measuring 183 x 46 m. This vessel will operate in the international oil and gas market for Nordic Heavy Lift. The Borealis, with a 5,000-tonne lifting capacity, will be able to install or remove entire topsides at oil and gas platforms. It will also be able to perform work at 3,000 m below sea level. The hull will be built in China, after which Imtech, via its branches Imtech Marine & Offshore (Rotterdam) and Radio Holland (Singapore), will implement and commission the technology.

Hornbeck Offshore Services, Inc. announced today that it has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement with Superior Offshore International, Inc, a subsea construction and commercial diving services company, to acquire the Superior Achiever, a T-22 class DP-3 new generation multi-purpose support vessel and related owner-furnished equipment, currently under construction at Merwede Shipyard in Holland with an anticipated fourth quarter 2008 delivery. Merwede Shipyard is also building for Hornbeck the HOS Iron Horse, a T-22 class DP-3 MPSV of the same design, with an expected fourth quarter 2009 delivery. With the pending acquisition of the Superior Achiever, the Company's MPSV program now consists of four vessels.

Bermuda-based Toisa Limited. The launch will took place on November 24 at Merwede Shipyard and was performed by Lorena Vázquez de Hernández, wife of José Hernández Cantarell, President CICSA. In March 2006 Merwede Shipyard won the order, which included the integration of the complete owner furnished dive spread and cranes within the required short delivery time. The vessel has been built under yard No 712. Sealion Shipping Ltd (Managers). Support Vessel, suitable for worldwide operation. Diving System, the vessel can, and will, support a wide variety of subsea operations worldwide.

Coastway, a new 4,900 m3 trailing suction hopper dredger for Westminster Dredging Company of Fareham, will be launched today at the Merwede Shipyard in Hardinxveld-Giessendam. Mrs. J.M. van Gelder-Wolff, wife of R. van Gelder, chairman of the board of Management of Royal Boskalis Westminster nv, will perform the inauguration and launch of the Coastway. The Coastway, with its shallow draught and large loading capacity, has been designed to carry out on and foreshore beach replenishment, dredging and maintenance work in shallow water, which generally involves silt, sand, gravel and soft clay. Its jetwater installation allows for dredging of densely packed material. The Coastway is also prepared for the desalination of sand from sea.

Hardinxveld-Giessendam/Papendrecht - At 6 p.m. today, Her Majesty the Queen of The Netherlands will perform the naming and launching ceremony for the trailing suction hopper dredger ‘Prins der Nederlanden’. This dredging vessel is being built by Merwede Shipyard in Hardinxveld-Giessendam, acting on instructions from the British subsidiary of Royal Boskalis Westminster nv. The ‘Prins der Nederlanden’ is one of two new hopper dredgers currently being built for Boskalis. Both ships will be 156 meters long, with a hopper capacity of approximately 16,000 m³. The ships were specially designed for the dredging and transportation of sand and sludge. They will be used by Boskalis throughout the world on dredging projects such as land reclamation and harbor construction.

Merewede Shipyard has christened the Rousse Prestige, a new inland vessel for Dunav Tours of Rousse in Bugaria. The christening took place on March 18 at the Whilhelminakade in Rotterdam and was performed by Daneta Zheleva, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Danav. The contract for the vessel was in March 2003 in Sofia Bulgaria. With the Rousse Prestige, Merwede Shipyard has delivered another luxury river cruise. The Rousse Prestige, like the Rouse, is named after the Danube city where Dunav Tours is headquartered…

Solstad Offshore ASA signed a Letter of Intent with Dutch Merwede Shipyard to build an Ulstein P105 platform supply vessel, which signed a contract with reservations with Ulstein Design AS regarding the delivery of a design and equipment package worth a total of more than NOK 70 million. "This is Ulstein Design's first contract outside the Ulstein Group and is very important for us," says Ulstein Design's President, Tore Ulstein. The first Ulstein P105 platform supply vessel was built in 2003, and earlier this year contracts were signed for two new construction projects and one option.

Merwede Shipyard won a contract to design, engineer and build one Multi-Role Vessel for Tenix Defence PTY, Ltd..of Australia. The Multi Role Vessel meets or exceeds all operational requirements of the New Zealand Ministry of Defence, including those for cargo and troop carriage, speed, endurance, helicopter operations and the secondary role of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) patrol and response. The 2,925 dwt vessel will measure 131 x 23 x 5.6 m, and will be able to achieve a maximum speed of 19.6 knots. This Multi-Role Vessel is part of a total of seven vessels that will be supplied by Tenix Defence to the Ministry of Defence of New Zealand. The building period for the Multi-Role Vessel is 22 months.

Merwede Shipyard has been busy of late, announcing two significant jobs from the military and commercial sectors. On the military side, the company announced a contract for the design, engineering and building of one Multi-Role Vessel, for Tenix Defence of Australia. The vessel will meet or exceed all operational requirements of the New Zealand Ministry of Defense, including those for cargo and troop carriage, speed, endurance, helicopter operations and the secondary role of Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) patrol and response. This MRV is part of a total of seven vessels that will be supplied by Tenix Defence to the Ministry of Defence of New Zealand, and the vessel, built to the rules of Lloyd's Register, will take 22 months to build.

The National Association the Zonnebloem has chosen the Merwede Shipyard to build the new holiday ship for the sick and handicapped. The contract was signed on November 4 at the shipyard in Hardinxveld-Giessendam. The plan is to start work at the yard in spring 2005 on building the new holiday ship of the Zonnebloem. The first holiday makers will be able to board the ship in March 2006. Ton Rietdijk, director of Merwede Shipyard, is enthusiastic about the new commission. "It is an honor to be able to build such a special ship. The specially adapted sailing holidays of the Zonnebloem are extremely important for the serious ill and handicapped.

IHC Holland Merwede BV said that its subsidiary Merwede Shipyard received the contract for the design and construction of a multi purpose offshore support vessel for Hornbeck Offshore Services LLC from Covington in Louisiana United States. Merwede Shipyard was granted this order because of its ability to design and offer the vessel including the integration of cranes within the required short delivery time and for a fixed price. The vessel will be built under Yard No 717 and delivery will take place 3rd quarter 2009. Hornbeck Offshore Services plans to deploy the vessel in its primary operating market, the deepwater and ultra-deepwater Gulf of Mexico. While this foreign-built vessel cannot qualify for Jones Act trade, the company intends to U.S.-flag the vessel.

IHC Holland Merwede BV announced that Merwede Shipyard received the contract for the engineering and construction of a new Heavy Lift vessel for Seaway Heavy Lifting. With its 5,000 MT crane capacity, the vessel is touted as the largest mono hull heavy lift vessel in the world and will be the largest ship ever built by the IHC Holland Merwede Group. IHC Krimpen Shipyard will take responsibility for the building of the vessel under Yard No (7) 716. Delivery will take place end 1Q 2010. Merwede BV’s as the fourth slipway of the group and was opened 4Q 2006. construction and special projects. capacity. vessels.