Bourbon Orders Two from French Yard

Bourbon has ordered for two Multi Purpose Supply Vessels (MPSV) from Socarenam, the French shipyard based in Boulogne-sur-Mer. The design of these vessels is based on a concept established by Marine Assistance, and will be developed by the consultant firm Bureau Mauric. "This order for two high-tech Multi Purpose Supply Vessels from a recognized French shipyard reflects our desire to offer our customers high-performance multi-purpose vessels combined with an excellent cost/delivery deadline ratio in line with our Horizon 2010 strategic plan,” said Christian Lefèvre, Executive Vice President and COO, Bourbon. “This contract is proof that French and European naval shipyards can be competitive and offer a solid performance. The choice of the Socarenam shipyard also reflects our desire to make investments and remain a major socio-economic player in France." The two MPSVs built by Socarenam will be used to provide support in specific, demanding offshore operations, such as the maintenance of oil facilities or production maintenance work and subsea inspections. They can house 103 persons. Like all the new vessels in the Offshore fleet, the design of these MPSVs meets the BOURBON standards. They are equipped with diesel-electric propulsion and a redundant dynamic positioning system (Class 2). Moreover, the vessels have 8 anchors (compared with 4 normally found on this type of vessel) which, combined with the Dynamic Positioning technology, offer greater flexibility in operational positioning. Finally, these vessels have been designed with low draught to allow increased accessibility in shallow zones such as estuaries or rivers.