Andrew Duncan News

Industry's First: North Star to Order Hybrid Daughter Craft for Offshore Wind Support

UK-focused offshore wind vessel operator North Star Renewables said Tuesday it would order the world’s first hybrid daughter craft vessels to support the offshore wind market.The company, established earlier this year as an offshore wind-focused business of the ERRV-firm North Star, has $375 million worth of contracts in hand to deliver three service operation vessels (SOVs) to be used on what will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm, the 3.6GW Dogger Bank Wind Farm in the UK North Sea.

Bibby Subsea Inks Contract with Bordelon Marine

Bibby Offshore’s Houston-based division, Bibby Subsea has signed a three year contract with Bordelon Marine to charter a new vessel. The Brandon Bordelon is an ultra-light intervention vessel (ULIV) and will commence a three year charter in August 2015 primarily operating in the Gulf of Mexico. The addition of the Brandon Bordelon to Bibby Offshore’s existing international fleet of specialised vessels enhances the capability throughout the Americas region. The purpose built, high specification Brandon Bordelon vessel provides a versatile and cost effective approach to a variety of operations, including IMR operations (inspection, maintenance and repair), light construction, survey and inspection work.

CSV Delivered to Bibby Subsea

Bibby Offshore’s Houston-based division, Bibby Subsea, welcomed the Olympic Ares, a multifunctional subsea construction support vessel (CSV) which is due to arrive in the port of Galveston on December 16, 2014. The 115-meter Olympic Ares features a 250-metric-ton heave compensated crane for subsea use to 3,000-meter water depth and 1,300-square-meter of clear back deck space. Ahead of arrival in Galveston, the Olympic Ares was recently installed with two SMD Quantum MkIII 250hp 3,000-meter rated Work Class ROVs.

Bibby Offshore Charters Construction Support Vessel

Aberdeen-based subsea installation contractor Bibby Offshore has signed a charter agreement for construction support vessel (CSV), the Olympic ARES. The agreement with Olympic Shipping will initially be a seasonal charter beginning at the end of Q1 2014 with options to extend. The vessel will be mobilized with ROVs from Bibby Offshore’s sister company Bibby Remote Intervention Limited and the companies together with Olympic Shipping shall jointly market the vessel from when it arrives in Aberdeen this month.

Bibby Subsea Expands in Houston

As part of its continuing global growth strategy, subsea installation contractor Bibby Offshore has announced the opening of a new division and international base in Houston. The company, that also has bases in Aberdeen, Liverpool, Singapore and Trinidad, has initially invested over £3million into the new division, Bibby Subsea Inc. As part of the expansion plan, Andrew Duncan will relocate to Houston, from his existing position of business and commercial director at the company’s Aberdeen HQ, to president and managing director of Bibby Subsea.

Bibby Charter Enlarges North Sea DSV Fleet

Bibby Offshore expanded its fleet of North Sea class diving support vessels by signing a contract to charter the DPII DSV Mermaid Endurer from Subtech Ltd. on behalf of Mermaid Offshore Services. The charter will run from April, 2014 for 200 days with extension options and a similar optional period has been agreed from April 1, 2015. The vessel will join Bibby Offshore’s DSV fleet which includes the Bibby Sapphire, Bibby Polaris and Bibby Topaz, providing additional capacity for clients.

Wärtsilä Engines for New Scottish RoPax Ferry

Wärtsilä to supply the main engines and auxiliary generating sets for a new Scottish-owned ferry. The RoPax vessel, designed for transporting both wheeled cargo and passengers, was ordered by Lloyds Banking Group and leased by Caledonian Maritime Assets, Ltd (CMAL), and is being built at the Flensburger Schiffbau Gesellschaft shipyard in Germany. The shipyard requirements were that the engines must be commercially competitive, compact and light in weight. Wärtsilä will deliver…