FELS Setal to Construct PSVs for Maersk

FELS Setal Group, the Brazilian subsidiary of Keppel Corporation through Keppel Offshore & Marine, has won a contract to construct two Platform Supply Vessels (PSVs) for Maersk Brasil (Brasmar) Ltda. The contract includes an option for the construction of two more vessels. The two UT745L PSVs will be the largest to be built in Brazil and are suitable for operations in harsh environments. To be delivered in July and November 2005 respectively, the construction of the vessels will comply with stringent international shipbuilding standards. Mr Jorn Steen Nielsen, President of Maersk Broker, said, “We have visited the facilities of BrasFELS yard, and are impressed with their project management ability, safety standards, engineering and production capabilities as well as housekeeping. “It is our expectation that FELS Setal will be able to meet its commitment to complete the PSVs on time in accordance with specifications.” Mr Tay Kim Hock, President of FELS Setal, said, “FELS Setal has accumulated a firm track record for quality work on time and within budget, technical expertise and safety since its establishment three years ago. “Our ability to clinch this contract to build the PSVs for a renowned owner like Maersk is a vote of confidence for FELS Setal. More importantly, it demonstrates a measure of success in the efforts of the Brazilian government and shipyard fraternity to revitalise the local shipbuilding industry.” To be classed with Lloyds Register of Shipping, the two vessels will be built in BrasFELS Yard, which is the largest shipyard in the Southern Hemisphere. Measuring 89.4m long with a deadweight capacity of 4500 tons, each vessel will be fitted with the latest technology in navigation, dynamic positioning and cargo handling equipment. Maersk Brasil was established in 1977 and is a company in the Danish A.P. Moller/Maersk Group. It presently operates, in co-operation with Maersk Supply Service, 10 large anchor handling tug supply vessels in Brazil on charter to Petrobras and Shell. In its three years of operations, FELS SETAL has positioned itself as the No. 1 offshore fabrication and construction yard in Brazil, and secured US$400 million worth of repair and conversion contracts. Currently, the FELS Setal group is building the three first AHTS type vessels ever to be built in Brazil. The first vessel, the B-101 AHTS “Geonísio Barroso”, was launched on 31 March 2003, in Angra dos Reis in a ceremony attended by the Minister of Mines and Energy Mrs. Dilma Roussef. The delivery date of this vessel will be in October. Besides the creation of more than 4000 jobs, FELS Setal has brought in foreign exchange for Brazil and helped local owners reduce down-time for those rigs serviced in its yards.