LR to Class Maersk Supply Service Anchor Handlers
The six vessels (plus four options) placed in the Norwegian yard will be assigned Lloyd’s Register (LR) class notations 100A1, Offshore Supply Ship AHTS, Fire Fighting Ship 1 (2400), Ice Class 1A PS, RD (2.8), IWS.
Steel cutting is expected to begin in June 2015 with the first two vessels delivering in Q4 2016 and subsequent deliveries at two-monthly intervals thereafter.
Maersk Supply Service CEO, Carsten Plougmann Andersen, said, "With this contract, Maersk Supply Service is once again placing a newbuilding order in Norway, and with this we have taken the next step in our extensive newbuilding program renewing our fleet with focus on large Anchor Handling Tug Supply and Subsea Support Vessels. The contract now concluded with Kleven is an important part of the realization of our ambitious growth strategy,"
Morten A. Jensen, Marine Client Mananger, LR in Copenhagen commented, "It is great to see yet another order placed by Maersk Supply Service to LR class, confirming the very good and close relationship between Maersk Supply Service and the business development department in Copenhagen office. It is rewarding to see that our hard work has ensured that LR is again the preferred choice for classification by Maersk Supply Service."
Ståle Rasmussen, CEO of Kleven, said, "We are proud of the fact that Maersk Supply Service has chosen Kleven to build their new range of anchor handlers. This proves that Kleven is competitive worldwide, based on our quality, punctuality and price. We look forward to working closely with both Lloyd’s Register and Maersk Supply Service on this large and important project, to ensure it is a success for all parties involved."
Leif Gunnar Sandvik, LR’s Senior Marine Representative for Norway said, "It gives us great pleasure to confirm class to LR for these OSVs (Offshore Support Vessels). Lloyd’s Register sees this as a great opportunity to support yard industry in Norway and is looking forward to supporting Kleven, Salt Design and the owners throughout this project. We are grateful for the assignment and are looking forward to a long and successful co-operation with Kleven Verft. Designed by Salt Ship Design based in Stored, western Norway, initial block assembly for the AHTS will be in Poland but final erection of blocks, outfitting, testing and delivery will be at Kleven in Ulsteinvik, Norway."
The Kleven order follows Maersk Supply Service’s recent order for four Subsea Support Vessels, also to Lloyd’s Register class, at COSCO Dalian.
"The key to a successful completion of such a complex project is to have excellent communication lines between Yard, Designer, Owner and, not least, Class. It is vital that all stakeholders have the required transparency in all processes affecting the quality of the vessel and certainly also the critical parts of the schedule. On previous projects Maersk Supply Service has enjoyed such level of co-operation with LR, and shall be looking forward to once again working together with them," said Head of Special Projects & Newbuilding, Maersk Supply Service, Director Peter Kragh Jacobsen.
