Mobile Offshore Unit News

Zentech Incorporated of Houston, Texas, USA signed contracts with CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipbuilding Company Limited for the construction of (2) Z-210 Mobile Offshore Units. These contracts were finalized based on the Letter of Intent received by CSSC Huangpu Wenchong Shipyard on September 23,2015. The Z-210 is a self-propelled, self-elevating, DP-2 capable, ABS Class, high temperature (55 deg Celsius) rated 4-legged mobile offshore unit capable of operating in water depths of up to 280 feet. The wide array of unique and innovative features of the Z-210 has already captured the attention of operators and one of these units has already been secured by an undisclosed operator in Asia!

Statutory Alert: The Norwegian Maritime Authority (NMA) has updated Regulation No.227 on precautionary measures against fire and explosion on mobile offshore units, with effect from 1 January, 2015. Section 10.2.1 prohibits using carbon dioxide or other gases which are toxic to humans in the concentrations necessary to extinguish fires in machinery spaces and other spaces of high fire risk. foreign-registered mobile offshore units requiring a Letter of Compliance (LOC). Any foreign…

SUDA 450-L3T, a 450-foot (137.25-meter) truss-legged liftboat, designed by A. K. Suda, Ltd. and built by Triyards Marine, Saigon Shipyard in HCMC, Vietnam, reported to be the world’s largest liftboat, is being delivered to its owners, EMAS Offshore of Singapore at the end of 2nd Quarter 2014. This state-of-the-art vessel is a three-legged, self-propelled, self-elevating general service workboat, known as the BH-450, and is suitable for operation in the North Sea. It is an ABS classed with Unrestricted Service…

Gulf Island Marine Fabricators (GIMF) has just completed construction of a new liftboat, The Bellator, for C.S. Liftboats, Inc, Abbeville, La. The Bellator is ABS Classed A-1, AMS, and Mobile Offshore Unit. The new boat, designed by A.K. Suda Inc. Metairie, LA measures 150’x118’x12’-8” and carries accommodations for 46 people. The new liftboat features three 300-foot legs with a working depth of 235 feet and a maximum deck elevation of 282 feet above the mud line. The Bellator has 9…

Lloyd’s Register releases new Rules, Class Notation and Guidance Notes for ‘Wind Turbine Installation and Maintenance Vessels and Liftboats’ to reflect industry best practice and new novel designs. The new Rules form part of the wider Mobile Offshore Unit Rule set 2013 launched by Lloyd’s Register in June, and is for vessels engaged in installation and/or maintenance activities relating to offshore wind turbines. It covers a number of unit types as well as liftboats, whose primary function is to provide support services to offshore wind turbine installations or other types of offshore installation. Vessels which comply with the requirements of the new Rules will be eligible for a new classification notation (MainWIND).

Two new Rule-sets approved at the first Offshore Technical Committee (OTC) held at LR's Global Technology Centre in Singapore. Lloyd's Register say that these two new rule-sets will be made public later this month (May 2013). The Floating Offshore Installations at a Fixed Location 2013 Rules and the Mobile Offshore Unit 2013 Rules, contain several changes from previous versions in order to improve usability, reflect industry best practice, new novel designs and legislative changes. The Rules never stand still and are continuously amended to improve usability, reflect industry best practice, new novel designs and legislative changes.

Lloyd’s Register’s Global Technology Center in Singapore held its inaugural Offshore Technical Committee last week with representatives from national and international oil companies, EPC contractors, owners, operators, fabricators, shipbuilders, equipment vendors and representatives from a number of academic and research organizations. The members took part in a series of networking opportunities and technical workshops but also crucially approved two Lloyd’s Register Rule-sets: The Floating Offshore Installations at a Fixed Location 2013 Rules and the Mobile Offshore Unit 2013 Rules. Both will be made public this month, May 2013. Chris Walters…

Moving MOUs to sheltered waters or drydock facilities for surveys is disruptive and expensive. Using the experience gained from several years of dealing with floating production units and surveying drilling units on location, DNV is now preparing a Recommended Practice (RP) to allow mobile offshore units to operate on location by optimizing survey routines without compromising on quality, safety and integrity. More practical design and construction of the units, established condition monitoring technologies, effective corrosion management programs, emerging technologies for less intrusive or alternative means of inspections, ingenious maintenance and continuous survey regimes are some of the elements that make this change possible.

The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) has recognized Mike Hoyle, one of GL Noble Denton's leading technical authorities for offshore oil and gas structures, for his contribution to new ISO Standards for the site-specific assessment of mobile offshore units. The IDAC Committee presented its Exemplary Service Award to Mr Hoyle in recognition of his role as leader of a dedicated International Standards Organization work group. The group developed the ISO 19905-1 and ISO 19905-2 standards for assessing the safe operation of mobile offshore units. Mr Hoyle led a large team of international mobile offshore structure specialists, representing rig-owners, class societies, oil companies, marine surveyors, consultants and regulators.

PaxOcean Engineering Zhoushan Co., Ltd. of Singapore, Singapore and The Levingston Corporation, Boerne, Texas, USA announced they have signed a Letter of Intent to build a Levingston designed 415WC (World Class) with an option for one additional similar vessel for an undisclosed contract value. The announcement was made at the new Elevating Boats LLC’s (EBI) facility at Ponchatoula, Louisiana. The Levingston 415WC Jack-up MOU (Mobile Offshore Unit) will be the world’s largest liftboat with 415 feet of legs, an open deck area of 18,300 square feet (1,700 square meters), a net deck load capacity of 1,654 tons (1,500 metric tonnes) with accommodations for 100 personnel including navigation crew. This vessel follows in the footsteps of the Levingston 320E, the world’s current largest liftboat.